Surface Disinfectants for Burn Units Evaluated by a New Double Method, Using Microorganisms Recently Isolated From...

Area of Science:

• Infection Control
• Microbiology
• Hospital Hygiene

Background:

• Current international standards for surface disinfection assessment do not accurately reflect real-world hospital conditions.
• Clinically relevant microorganisms on burn unit surfaces pose a significant infection risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate new methods for assessing surface disinfectants.
• To identify the most effective disinfectants against clinically relevant microorganisms in hospital settings.

Main Methods:

• Two novel evaluation methods were developed: 'Immediate Effect' and 'Residual Effect'.
• The 'Immediate Effect' tested 6 disinfectants against 20 clinical isolates using germ-carriers and microfiber cloths.
• The 'Residual Effect' assessed disinfectant efficacy on contaminated surfaces after a 30-minute waiting period.

Main Results:

• Most disinfectants showed complete elimination in the 'Immediate Effect' test, except for a diluted quaternary ammonium product.
• Moderate residual effects (2-3 log10 CFU reduction) were observed with chlorine dioxide and 0.5% chlorhexidine for up to 30 minutes.
• Chlorine dioxide demonstrated superior or equal direct effect compared to sodium hypochlorite, with comparable residual effects to chlorhexidine.

Conclusions:

• Dual testing for direct and residual efficacy is essential for selecting appropriate surface disinfectants.
• Chlorine dioxide emerges as a highly effective disinfectant, offering both immediate and lasting antimicrobial activity.
• The findings support the use of chlorine dioxide and chlorhexidine for enhanced surface disinfection in critical care settings.