title: Comparative mycobactericidal efficacy of chemical disinfectants in suspension and carrier tests.
abstract: The efficacy of nine disinfectants on Mycobacterium smegmatis was tested in the presence of sputum, using quantitative suspension and carrier tests. Glutaraldehyde, povidone iodine, and chlorhexidine gluconate produced at least a 6-log10 reduction in CFU in all tests. Four disinfectants (sodium dichloroisocyanurate, phenol, ethanol, and sodium hypochlorite) were not as effective in the carrier tests as in the suspension tests; this difference ranged from a 1- to a 5-log10 reduction in CFU. The efficacy of ethanol and sodium hypochlorite was further reduced (3- and 1-log10 reductions in CFU, respectively) in the presence of sputum. The quaternary ammonium compound and iodophor were ineffective in all tests. The findings of this study demonstrate the need for a quantitative carrier test such as the one presented here.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biosafety, Laboratory Centre for Disease Control, Health and Welfare Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sattar
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Springthorpe
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D019800:Phenol; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000494:pharmacology; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014227:Triazines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D004202:Disinfectants; D010636:Phenols; D014227:Triazines; D019800:Phenol; D000431:Ethanol; D011206:Povidone-Iodine; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; C011765:troclosene; D002710:Chlorhexidine; D005976:Glutaral