TNAM, CT, USA - Foster Corporation, a leading provider of polymer solutions in healthcare, has developed a new antimicrobial masterbatch CombaTM, which is added to polymers for medical devices. Components made from these antimicrobial polymer mixtures are less susceptible to the development of bacteria and thus to bacterial infections, such as methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRSA) and carbapenem-resistant enterobacteria (CRE). According to a study by the American Health Agency (Center for Disease Control), in 4 percent of all patients receiving acute treatment in the USA, the treatment itself is the cause of infection. Medical devices lingering in the body, such as the CVC (central venous catheter), are particularly susceptible to the colonization of bacteria that can enter the bloodstream. Medical device manufacturers are increasingly asking for antimicrobial additives for plastics to prevent the formation of harmful bacteria on the surface of the components. Ionized silver is very effective at destroying bacteria and preventing them from settling in. Additives based on this chemical substance are usually melted during the production of the antimicrobial medical device and added directly to the medical polymer. However, developing multiple tailor-made compound recipes can be costly. Combat masterbatches, manufactured using Science's Agion� ionic silver technology, represent an economical solution for customers to test such antimicrobial fillers in medical devices: They can be mixed in dry form and thus tested in various proportions. �Combat Masterbatches are available in small quantities starting at 2 pounds to minimize the costs of initial evaluations,� says Larry Johnson, Deputy Managing Director at Foster Corporation. �As a result of the small order quantities with a purchase of just 2 to 10 percent, depending on the polymer and application, various antimicrobial recipes can be tested.�