title: Formalinized bacterial "antigens" as a potential infection hazard.
abstract: It is widely thought that after enteric bacteric have been "formalinized" (treated with an equal volume of 0.6% formalin) for 1 h, the bacteria become "antigens" and are no longer viable. None of the 27 cultures of Salmonella and other Enterobacteriaceae were entirely killed within 1 h after formalin was added, but all 27 were reduced from 10(9) viable cells per ml to less than 10(2) per ml within 7 h. Thus, mouth pipetting of cultures formalinized for only 1 h is a possible infection hazard.
mesh_terms: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007757:Laboratory Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D005557:Formaldehyde