title: Antimicrobial efficiency of ethanol and 2-propanol alcohols used on contaminated storage phosphor plates and impact on durability of the plate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess (1) antimicrobial efficiency of wiping intraoral phosphor plates with alcohol tissues based on ethanol or 2-propanol alcohols after contamination with Candida albicans and Streptococcus oralis, (2) a concept for autodisinfection with ultraviolet light of the transport ramp in a scanner for phosphor plates and (3) the impact of wiping with alcohol tissues on durability of the plate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suspensions of C. albicans and S. oralis were prepared in concentrations of 10(9) and 10(5) organisms per ml, and Digora (Digora(®) Optime Imaging Plate, size 2; Soredex, PalaDEx Group Brenntag Nordic A/S, Hellerup, Denmark) and Vista (VistaScan(®) Imaging Plate PLUS, size 2; Dürr Dental AG, Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany) plates were contaminated. The plates were wiped with ethanol or 2-propanol disinfectant tissues and imprints obtained on agar. Number of microbial colonies after culturing was recorded. The scanner ramp was contaminated with C. albicans or S. oralis, respectively, the ultraviolet light (UV light) disinfection in the scanner was activated and the number of colonies after culturing was recorded. Plates from each system were sequentially wiped (5-60 times) with ethanol and 2-propanol, exposed and scanned. 48 images from each system were scored blind: 1 = no artefact, 2 = small artefacts and 3 = severe artefacts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ethanol eliminated C. albicans and S. oralis in high and low concentrations from both types of plates, whereas 2-propanol did not eliminate all micro-organisms at high concentrations. The UV light eliminated all micro-organisms from the ramp. Ethanol degraded the plates to a larger extent than did 2-propanol. Images from Vista plates showed severe artefacts after wiping with ethanol; those from Digora plates did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ethanol eliminated all micro-organisms but degraded phosphor plates, whereas 2-propanol did not eliminate all micro-organisms and still degraded plates from Vista but not from Digora.
authors: Section for Oral Radiology, Department of Dentistry, Aarhus University, Vennelyst Blvd, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. awenzel@odont.au.dk
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Wenzel
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Kornum
authors: Mr
authors: M
authors: Knudsen
authors: E Frandsen
authors: EF
authors: Lau
mesh_terms: D019840:2-Propanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016477:Artifacts; D058491:Bacterial Load; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D019551:Dental Disinfectants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019533:Streptococcus oralis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D019551:Dental Disinfectants; D000431:Ethanol; D019840:2-Propanol