Comparative sensitivity of 13 species of pathogenic bacteria to seven chemical germicides.
BACKGROUND
The relative resistance of diverse human bacterial pathogens to commonly used germicidal agents has not been established.


METHODS
We measured by titration the survival of thirteen different bacteria after exposure to glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, cupric ascorbate, sodium hypochlorite, or phenol.


RESULTS
Our comparative experiments allowed classification of the organisms' survival into four groups: (a) Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus showed the most resistance, (b) Clostridium perfringens, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 showed intermediate resistance, (c) Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella sonnei, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus survived some treatments with chemical agents only in the presence of protecting protein (serum albumin), and (d) Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio vulnificus, Bacillus cereus, and Yersinia enterocolitica did not survive any of the treatments applied.


CONCLUSIONS
We found species that more frequently survived exposure to germicidal agents were also those most commonly reported in association with hospital infections. Our findings suggest that resistance to disinfectants may be more important than pathogenicity in determining the relative prominence of an organism as an agent responsible for nosocomial infections.
Sagripanti
J L
JL
Division of Life Sciences, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland 20857, USA.
Eklund
C A
CA
Trost
P A
PA
Jinneman
K C
KC
Abeyta
C
C
Kaysner
C A
CA
Hill
W E
WE
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000592:standards*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000592:standards; D005976:Glutaral / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000592:standards; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010463:Peracetic Acid / Q000592:standards; D019800:Phenol; D010636:Phenols / Q000592:standards; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite / Q000592:standards
D004202:Disinfectants; D010636:Phenols; D005557:Formaldehyde; D019800:Phenol; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite; D010463:Peracetic Acid; D005976:Glutaral