Hypochlorite (1%) is inefficient in decontaminating blood containing hypodermic needles.
Indian J Med Microbiol
;
2002 Oct-Dec; 20(4): 215-8
Article
in English
| IMSEAR
| ID: sea-53903
ABSTRACT
Infectious biomedical waste and sharps have a potential hazard of transmission of pathogens. Among sharps, used needles form a major share and disinfection by 1 % hypochlorite is recommended in biomedical waste management rules of India. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of hypochlorite for the decontamination of needles. Needles (16 g) filled with suspensions of standard strains and clinical isolates of gram positive and gram negative bacteria in plain normal saline and in human blood containing anticoagulant, were exposed to 1% hypochlorite and the surviving bacteria were subjected to viable counts. The observations indicated that 85 - 90 % of the needles filled with bacterial suspensions in saline are disinfected to a level of> 5 log bacterial reduction (standard disinfection) on exposure to hypochlorite but only 15 to 30% needles contaminated with the challenge bacteria suspended in blood showed> 5 log reduction in viable counts. Thus, hypochlorite treatment is inadequate for disinfecting needles contaminated with pathogenic bacteria in presence of blood and should not be recommended as an option for disinfection of the needles.
Full text:
Available
Index:
IMSEAR (South-East Asia)
Language:
English
Journal:
Indian J Med Microbiol
Journal subject:
Microbiology
Year:
2002
Type:
Article
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