DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i09.001

Pages: 616-619

Disinfectants are used extensively in the homes, healthcare settings, laboratories and industries for a variety of topical and hard surface application particularly as an essential component of infection control practice with a purpose of preventing infections. Disinfectants used in hospitals and laboratories must be tested periodically to ascertain its potency and efficacy. The study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of some locally available disinfectants and also study the stability and long term effectiveness of such disinfectants at their working concentrations. A total of six disinfectants/ antiseptics specimens were collected from various areas in hospitals like clinical departments including Out Patient Department (OPD), Indoor Patient Department (IPD) and Intensive care unit of YMCH. A 10µl of the 0.5 McFarland bacterial culture (ATCC strains of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) was suspended into the 5ml of disinfectant solution at working dilution, after immediate preparation and after 7 days and inoculated on nutrient agar. Differences in the number of colony forming units were noted on both plates with and without disinfectant to know microbicidal efficiency (ME) of the disinfectant. Out of all disinfectants/ Antiseptics tested Glutarex, Rapid multi-enzyme cleaner, Avagard and Dettol were most effective against all organisms and yielded no growth on both nutrient agar plates. On the other hand Savlon and fresh day disinfectants were not effective even in freshly prepared working concentrations, and had decreased efficacy after 7 days of storage. The test disinfectants used in this study have been confirmed to be very effective as it has demonstrated that they have both antibacterial and antifungal efficacy. Recommended concentrations based on Suspension test apply only to freshly prepared solutions but the solutions are likely to be kept for more than 24 hours in a health care setting hence it is advisable to