RESUMEN
AIMS: To evaluate the decontamination of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface materials using formaldehyde gas. METHODS AND RESULTS: B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores were dried on seven types of indoor surfaces and exposed to approx. 1100 ppm formaldehyde gas for 10 h. Formaldehyde exposure significantly decreased viable B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores on all test materials. Significant differences were observed when comparing the reduction in viable spores of B. anthracis with B. subtilis (galvanized metal and painted wallboard paper) and G. stearothermophilus (industrial carpet and painted wallboard paper). Formaldehyde gas inactivated>or=50% of the biological indicators and spore strips (approx. 1x10(6) CFU) when analyzed after 1 and 7 days. CONCLUSIONS: Formaldehyde gas significantly reduced the number of viable spores on both porous and nonporous materials in which the two surrogates exhibited similar log reductions to that of B. anthracis on most test materials. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These results provide new comparative information for the decontamination of B. anthracis spores with surrogates on indoor surfaces using formaldehyde gas.
Asunto(s)
Bacillus/efectos de los fármacos , Descontaminación/métodos , Desinfectantes/farmacología , Formaldehído/farmacología , Bacillus/aislamiento & purificación , Bacillus anthracis/efectos de los fármacos , Bacillus anthracis/aislamiento & purificación , Bacillus subtilis/efectos de los fármacos , Bacillus subtilis/aislamiento & purificación , Materiales de Construcción/microbiología , Geobacillus stearothermophilus/efectos de los fármacos , Geobacillus stearothermophilus/aislamiento & purificación , Esporas Bacterianas/efectos de los fármacos , Esporas Bacterianas/aislamiento & purificación , Propiedades de SuperficieRESUMEN
AIMS: To evaluate the decontamination of Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, and Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores on indoor surface materials using hydrogen peroxide gas. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bacillus anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores were dried on seven types of indoor surfaces and exposed to > or =1000 ppm hydrogen peroxide gas for 20 min. Hydrogen peroxide exposure significantly decreased viable B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and G. stearothermophilus spores on all test materials except G. stearothermophilus on industrial carpet. Significant differences were observed when comparing the reduction in viable spores of B. anthracis with both surrogates. The effectiveness of gaseous hydrogen peroxide on the growth of biological indicators and spore strips was evaluated in parallel as a qualitative assessment of decontamination. At 1 and 7 days postexposure, decontaminated biological indicators and spore strips exhibited no growth, while the nondecontaminated samples displayed growth. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in decontamination efficacy of hydrogen peroxide gas on porous and nonporous surfaces were observed when comparing the mean log reduction in B. anthracis spores with B. subtilis and G. stearothermophilus spores. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These results provide comparative information for the decontamination of B. anthracis spores with surrogates on indoor surfaces using hydrogen peroxide gas.