Disinfection Caps Market Size, Share, and COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Type (Single and Dual), By Application (IV Catheters, Central IV Line, and Drip Set Ends), By End User (Hospitals & Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs), Clinics, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2025-2032

Disinfection caps or curos caps are the plastic cups used to sterilize the IV access points from microbial contamination to avoid central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). These infections are caused by bacteria or other microbes that occur in patients who have a catheter, called a central line, placed in a large vein for the purpose of administering drugs or extracting blood. These blood stream infections are identified in the laboratory by tip cultures within 48 hours of symptoms onset. The causative agents are usually Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus SPP, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus species, Propionibacterium, fungi, or mycobacteria that are originated from intravenous lines.

The implementation of disinfecting caps yields significant benefits beyond reducing CLABSIs. It liberates valuable clinical hours, enabling healthcare providers to achieve improved patient outcomes and deliver a higher quality of care. This, in turn, leads to the reduced length of stay and decreased hospitalization costs for patients who received the disinfection caps.

• According to the results of a study conducted by 3M between January and September 2020, implementing disinfecting caps in hospitalized patients with central venous catheters (CVCs) is more effective to control central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) risk and optimizing the allocation of healthcare resources than the standard care during this challenging period. The study was conducted in 200,411 hospitalizations involving central venous catheters.
• According to a report updated by StatPearls Publishing LLC., in November 2022, the central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) additionally increases the hospital stay for the patient and their recovery time varies by causative agent; for example, 14 days for S. aureus and 7 days for coagulase-negative staphylococci, among others.

The increasing incidences of such diseases and rising awareness among healthcare providers is boosting the product adoption across health settings. Moreover, a rising number of players focus on providing effective and multi-purpose disinfection caps are expected to drive the market.

• For instance, in December 2021, StatPearls Publishing LLC, published that an estimated 250,000 bloodstream infections occur annually across the globe.

However, according to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), limited evidence is available regarding the use of disinfection caps for effective disinfection in the clinical settings which requires further evaluation. Therefore, issues associated with the efficacy of these caps can hamper the market growth across the globe.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Disinfection Caps Market

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the disinfection caps market due to the imposition of travel restrictions and lockdowns by governments across the globe. The market growth was affected due to supply chain disruptions and fewer people seeking medications for non-emergency diseases. This reduced the demand for disinfection caps which led to a decline in the revenues of market players. Furthermore, the number of patients visiting hospitals and surgery centers recorded a drop during the pandemic, which further resulted in a decline in the demand for disinfection caps across the globe.

• According to an article published by King’s College London in July 2020, the pandemic negatively affected the number of surgeries due to staff deficiency, lockdowns, and high prioritization of COVID-19 related needs among patients.
• As per an article published by Nature Communications in October 2022, there was a global trend of overall decrease in hospitalization rates for non-COVID-19 diseases during March and April 2020.

However, the post-pandemic relaxation of restrictions increased the number of surgeries and treatment which led to an increase in the demand for disinfection caps which further propelled the market.

Segmentation

Key Insights

The report covers the following key insights:

• Prevalence of Central Line-related Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs), by Key Countries, 2022
• Key Industry Developments – Partnerships, Mergers, and Acquisitions
• Impact of COVID-19 on the Global Market

Analysis by Application

Based on application, the disinfection caps market is segmented into IV catheters, central IV line, and drip set ends.

The central IV line segment is anticipated to dominate the market share during the forecast period. Vascular access and central IV lines are the most used invasive procedures across the globe. This is due to the rising prevalence of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). The need for maintenance and care remain crucial to control these infections. Further, the increased adoption of passive disinfection caps across healthcare settings over scrubbing with 70% alcohol due to the ease of handling and effectiveness is driving the segment growth. Moreover, players focus on providing clinical evidence-backed products to control central line infections.

• A study conducted by 3M showed the effect of using a disinfecting cap for an IV access point on central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), hospital stay duration, and the cost of care in an inpatient setting. The study used data from Premier Healthcare Database, focusing on 200,411 hospitalizations between January 2020 and September 2020. Among the cases, 7,423 patients received a disinfecting cap, and for 192,988 patients, the standard practice of hub scrubbing was followed. The disinfection cap group showed 73.0% reduction in infection compared to the no cap group. 

Such publications are effectively increasing awareness about the advantages of disinfection caps over classical rubbing, which is anticipated to boost the demand for disinfection caps for central IV lines.

Regional Analysis

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Based on region, North America region is expected to dominate the market with a significant market share during the forecast period. The regional dominance is attributed to the increased number of vascular access procedures and rising incidence of hospital associated infections in the region.

• For instance, according to the American Medical Association (AMA), between 1^st January 2015 and 31^st December 2020, there were 639,883 ongoing hemodialysis in the U.S. hospitals and clinics.

The presence of major market players and increasing developmental activities such as acquisitions are the factors expanding the region’s disinfection caps market.

• In November 2019, ICU Medical, Inc., agreed to acquire Pursuit Vascular, Inc., a medical device company that primarily focuses on innovative catheter disinfecting products and technologies to reduce costly bloodstream infections.

Key Players Covered

The report includes the profiles of key players such as ICU Medical, Inc., BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), 3M,   B. Braun Melsungen AG, Merit Medical Systems, JCM MED., and other prominent players.

Key Industry Developments

• In November 2019, ICU Medical, Inc., agreed to acquire Pursuit Vascular, Inc., a medical device company primarily focused on innovative catheter disinfecting products and technologies to reduce costly bloodstream infections.
• In March 2017, 3M launched Curos stopper disinfection caps to reduce bloodstream infections. Curos caps are designed for female open luers that can fit a wide variety of stopcocks and hemodialysis catheter hubs.