Efficacy of common antiseptics against multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of infections caused by multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has been increasing. Antiseptics are frequently used to prevent mycobacterial infection. The aim of this study was to determine those antiseptics that are useful against MDR-TB.


METHODS
We evaluated bactericidal activity against clinical isolates of MDR-TB in vitro.


METHODS
Thirteen strains of MDR-TB were tested against povidone-iodine (PVP-I), cresol, akyldiaminoethyl glycine hydrocloride (AEG), and glutaraldehyde. After bacilli were exposed to the antiseptic solution with 2% human serum, the disinfectant was inactivated by addition of neutraliser.


RESULTS
PVP-1 at a final concentration of 0.2% killed all of the strains within 120 seconds, and PVP-I at 0.1% killed 99.9% or more bacilli within 60 seconds. Most strains were killed after exposure to 0.5% cresol at 300 seconds and to 1.0% cresol at 60 seconds; 3.0% cresol killed all bacilli within 120 seconds, while 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.5% AEG all required 60 minutes to kill 99.9% or more of the bacilli; 2.0% glutaraldehyde required 10 minutes to kill all bacilli.


CONCLUSIONS
The bactericidal activities of antiseptics for MDR-TB were similar to those for drug-sensitive M. tuberculosis strains. PVP-I would be a useful antiseptic against MDR-TB. The bactericidal activities of glutaraldehyde are effective against MDR-TB as an antiseptic for medical equipment.
Rikimaru
T
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan. riki@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
Kondo
M
M
Kajimura
K
K
Hashimoto
K
K
Oyamada
K
K
Miyazaki
S
S
Sagawa
K
K
Aizawa
H
H
Oizumi
K
K
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003408:Cresols / Q000494:pharmacology; D004202:Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005976:Glutaral / Q000494:pharmacology; D005998:Glycine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000494:pharmacology
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D003408:Cresols; D004202:Disinfectants; D011206:Povidone-Iodine; C077977:cresol; D005976:Glutaral; D005998:Glycine