Infection and contamination control company Tristel has secured regulatory approval in Australia for two products used by hospitals in the battle against the “superbug” Clostridium difficile (C.diff).

Tristel, based at Snailwell, near Newmarket, already generates annual sales of around £1.2m in the UK for its Fuse for Surfaces and Jet for Surfaces disinfectants.

Both products have now been approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA) as hospital-grade disinfectants, recognising their efficacy in respect of bacterial spores including C.diff.

Tristel has had a presence in the Australian hospital market since 2011 when it received its first approval from the TGA for its Wipes System for the disinfection of small medical instruments, which in the year to June 30, 2016, achieved sales in Australia of around £1.7m.

Having previously sold its Wipes System in Australia through a distributor, Tristel established a direct presence in the market in July this year by purchasing the distributor’s business, through a wholly-owned subsidiary.

Tristel chief executive Paul Swinney said: “Just as the Wipes System approval took nearly two years to obtain from the TGA, so has the approval for our two surface disinfection products.

“The wait will certainly be worthwhile as the advantages that our products enjoy in the United Kingdom are the same as they will enjoy in Australia.

“Hospitals in Australia are experiencing infection outbreak problems as hospitals here have and, as we have repeatedly demonstrated, our surface disinfection products are widely recognised as the best defence against Clostridium difficile.”