Efficacy of Bactericidal Activity of Disinfectants and Antibiotics against MRSA

ABSTRACT

MRSA strains cause serious nosocomial infections. The rate of MRSA among Staphylococcus aureus isolated in Korea is about 70 - 80%. The treatment for MRSA infection is vancomycin. But vancomycin has several side effects and its therapeutic rate is 60 - 75%. Therefore the disinfectants play an important role in preventing and treating MRSA infection. In this study, 44 MRSA isolates were obtained from Wonkwang University Hospital, and examined for the efficacy of disinfectants commonly used in hospital. The tested disinfectants were chlorohexidine (Hibitan(R)), H2O2, tego, Gentian Violet, potadine, chlorohexidine gluconate (Microshield(R)), boric acid, alcohol, zepanon, acetic acid, and combinations of these disinfectants. MRSA studied were killed after exposure to chlorohexidine gluconate (Microshield (R)), alcohol, zepanon, alcohol+potadine, and alcohol+Gentian Violet within 30 seconds. But, tego, boric acid, and Gentian Violet+acetic acid could not kill MRSA after 30 minutes. Agar dilution minimal inhibitory concentration test was done with cephalothin, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin, erythromycin, fusidic acid, gentamicin, mupirocin, oxacillin, penicillin G, rifampin, tetracycline, and vancomycin. We found that bactericidal activity of vancomycin, fusidic acid, and mupirocin were good. In conclusion, this study provided useful information 75% alcohol is the best disinfectant for wound dressing, 4% chlorohexidine gluconate(Microshield(R)) is useful for hand washing, and zepanon is useful for ward cleansing. Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was not found in our study.