Evaluation of the disinfectant effect of a quick drying rubbing type povidone-iodine alcoholic solution by the glove juice method.

The antiseptic effect of povidone-iodine alcoholic solution (HAD Hand Wash), a newly developed quick drying rubbing type disinfectant, was evaluated in 40 subjects. Samples of hand bacteria were collected by the glove juice method. The bacteria were incubated, and a cell count was performed. Disinfection was carried out by rubbing 3 ml of HAD Hand Wash carefully on to the skin of the subjects' hands. The efficacy of the solution was evaluated by computing the bacterial reduction rates as compared to the pre-disinfection bacterial count after disinfecting once and three times. The bacterial cell count was significantly reduced from the pre-disinfection count for one hour after disinfecting once and for two hours after disinfecting three times. In addition, the bacterial reduction rate after disinfecting three times remained superior to that after disinfecting once over a period of two hours. We concluded that disinfecting once with HAD Hand Wash is sufficient for routine hygienic hand washing, while disinfecting three times is desirable when, as with surgical hand washing, the strictest antisepsis is required. HAD Hand Wash produced no adverse side effects.

Absence of role for plasmids in resistance to multiple disinfectants in three strains of bacteria.

Three chlorhexidine-resistant strains, two of Achromobacter xylosoxidans, one of Pseudomonas cepacia, were isolated from clinical sources. The three strains showed cross-resistance to benzethonium chloride, benzalkonium chloride and alkyldiaminoethylglycine. Resistance persisted after treatment of the strains with acridine orange (12.5 mg-25 mg l-1). Conjugation to appropriate recipients of Escherichia coli was unsuccessful and plasmid DNA could not be detected. These results suggest that plasmids do not play a role in resistance to multiple disinfectants in the strains of bacteria studied.