Alcohol-free hand sanitizer and other quaternary ammonium disinfectants quickly and effectively inactivate SARS-CoV-2.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the current global pandemic, COVID-19. Because this virus is novel, little is known about its sensitivity to disinfection. METHODS: We performed suspension tests against SARS-CoV-2 using three commercially available quaternary ammonium compound (Quat) disinfectants and one laboratory-made 0.2% benzalkonium chloride solution. FINDINGS: Three of the four formulations completely inactivated the virus within 15 s of contact, even in the presence of a soil load or when diluted in hard water. CONCLUSION: Quats rapidly inactivate SARS-CoV-2, making them potentially useful for controlling SARS-CoV-2 spread in hospitals and the community.

Investigation of the susceptibility of Candida auris and Candida albicans to chemical disinfectants using European Standards EN 13624 and EN 16615.

BACKGROUND: Since the first appearance of Candida auris in 2009, this yeast has become a relevant pathogen in the clinical field. C. auris has been detected on various surfaces in health facilities, and is therefore a target for appropriate disinfection procedures. Preventive measures have to be implemented based on disinfectants with proven efficacy against C. auris. AIM: The chemical tolerance of C. auris was compared with the surrogate test organism Candida albicans as established in the European standards (EN). In this way, conclusions will be drawn as to whether the disinfectants tested according to EN 13624 and EN 16615 are at least equally effective against C. auris. METHODS: The chemical susceptibility of C. auris and C. albicans was investigated using standardized EN test protocols. EN 13624 and EN 16615 were used in this study to examine two commercially available surface disinfectants based on alcohol and quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), respectively. In addition, the survival rates of the two yeast species were studied on a defined test surface simulating practical conditions. FINDINGS: In comparison with C. albicans, C. auris was found to be significantly more susceptible to the alcohol- and QAC-based disinfectants used in this study. C. albicans was found to be more tolerant to drying on the test surface in EN 16615, yielding higher recovery rates. CONCLUSION: C. albicans is a suitable surrogate test organism when targeting yeasticidal efficacy, which, based on EN 13624 and EN 16615, includes efficacy against the human pathogen C. auris.

Effects of hand disinfection with alcohol hand rub, ozonized water, or soap and water: time for reconsideration?

The effect of alcohol hand rub was tested in eradicating Escherichia coli, and compared with hand wash using ozonized tap water or soap and water. Alcohol eradicated all bacteria in 10 out of 35 participants, but with an average (SD) of 2330 (4227) cfu/mL left after disinfection, whereas ozonized water removed all bacteria in 10 out of 55 participants, with an average of only 538 (801) cfu/mL left (P = 0.045). Soap washing was the most effective with total removal of bacteria in six out of 20 participants, with an average of 98 (139) cfu/mL (P = 0.048 and 0.018 versus ozonized water and alcohol, respectively).

Efficacy of the photon-initiated photoacoustic streaming combined with different solutions on Enterococcus faecalis in the root canals.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different irrigation solutions used in photon-initiated photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) or conventional needle irrigation (CNI) for eradication of Enterococcus faecalis from artificial root canals. Altogether, 240 artificial root canal samples were included. The models were split and incubated for 2 days to allow formation of E. faecalis biofilm. The models were randomly divided into two groups (n = 120): CNI and laser-activated irrigation (LAI). Each group was divided into six subgroups according to different irrigation solutions: distilled water, 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), 2% NaOCl, 5.25% NaOCl, MTAD, and chlorhexidine, respectively. After irrigation, half of the samples (n = 10) were assessed immediately, and the other half of the samples (n = 10) were incubated for 6 hr. Bacterial suspensions were obtained from all samples before and after irrigation, and after incubation, and were quantified adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) assay kit. The biofilms were examined using fluorescent microscopy and analyzed by Image Pro Plus software. Significant reduction of ATP, average fluorescence density after irrigation, and growth after incubation was obtained in LAI group than in CNI group (p < .05). LAI can improve bacteriostasis effect of 2% NaOCl (p < .05). PIPS improved the antibacterial effect of the 2% NaOCl used in root canal therapy.

Recovery of Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria from Water is Influenced by Phenotypic Characteristics and Decontamination Methods.

Infections related to non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) have recently increased worldwide. The transmission of these microorganisms from the environment has been suggested as the main source for human infections. To elucidate the epidemiological aspects and distribution of these pathogens, many studies have evaluated several decontamination methods and protocols to properly isolate NTM from environmental samples, mainly from water. However, no satisfactory strategy has been found for isolation of most of the NTM species harboring different phenotypic characteristics. Here, we evaluated the susceptibility of 23 NTM strains presenting variable growth rate and pigmentation patterns to eight different methods: oxalic acid (2.5% and 5%), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) (0.0025% and 0.005%), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (2% and 4%), and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) plus NaOH (SDS 1.5%-NaOH 0.5% and SDS 3%-NaOH 1%). It was found that the viability of NTM exposed to different decontamination methods varies according to their phenotypic characteristics and two methods (SDS 1.5% plus NaOH 0.5% and CPC 0.0025%) were necessary for effective isolation of all of the species tested. These findings supply important insights for future studies on the environmental occurrence of mycobacteria and improving the sensibility of traditional strategies.

Integración de la prevención de riesgos en el proceso de compra de desinfectantes hospitalarios del Instituto Catalán de la Salud entre los años 2008 y 2017 / Integrating risk prevention in the procurement of disinfection products: the evolution of hospital disinfection product composition in the Catalonian health intstitue, 2008-2017

La desinfección de superficies y de material es una tarea imprescindible en los hospitales para evitar la propagación de infecciones asociadas a la estancia hospitalaria de los pacientes. Por eso, en el Instituto Catalán de la Salud (ICS) en el periodo 2008-2017 se han ido sustituyendo los diversos productos desinfectantes que son nocivos para la salud de los trabajadores, como aldehídos y cancerígenos, por otros menos peligrosos, como los productos oxidantes y alcoholes, que dan también un resultado eficiente y seguro en la desinfección del material y de las superficies. Este trabajo recoge esta experiencia como forma de integración de la prevención de riesgos en la empresa

In hospitals, the disinfection of surfaces and medical instruments is essential for preventing the spread of infections associated with hospital admissions. For this reason, between 2008 and now, the Catalonian Institute of Health (ICS, by its Spanish acronym) has been replacing several potentially harmful disinfection products, such as aldehydes and carcinogens, with less hazardous compounds such as oxidizing products and alcohols, that are safe and also efficient for the disinfection of work surfaces and medical instruments. This paper summarizes our experience, as an example of the integration of risk prevention in healthcare institutions

Evaluation of Resistance by Clinically Pathogenic Bacteria to Antimicrobials and Common Disinfectants in Beijing, China.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria is well recognized among clinicians; however, studies that directly evaluate the bacterial resistance to commonly used disinfectants in clinical settings are lacking. Currently available reports focus on the resistance of single strains to single disinfectants and do not adequately examine the degree of resistance and cross-resistance to antimicrobials in the large-scale clinical use of disinfectants. METHODS: We investigated the resistance capacity to 11 antibiotics and 7 chemical disinfectants by bacterial strains collected from body fluids of patients in 10 hospitals in Beijing, China over a 1-year period. Bacterial resistance to disinfectants was tested using minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration using agar dilution methods based on commercially available reference strains. RESULTS: A total of 1,104 pathogenic strains were identified, of which 23% were Gram-positive bacteria, 74% were Gram-negative bacteria, and 3% were fungi. Overall, resistance to antibiotics for the most common strains was significantly higher than their resistance to disinfectants. The least effective antibiotics and disinfectants were aztreonam and glutaral, respectively, exhibiting the highest overall resistance rates; while amikacin and alcohol had the lowest resistance rates. Consistently, Acinetobacter baumannii exhibited the most resistance, while Escherichia coli had the least resistance for both antibiotics and disinfectants. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the pathogen spectrum for bacterial infective pathogens evaluated in this study, as well as the status quo of their resistance to antimicrobial agents and common clinical disinfectants, it is essential for healthcare professionals to pay attention not only to the standardized use of antimicrobial agents but also to the rational application of disinfectants.

Patterns of cleaning product exposures using a novel clustering approach for data with correlated variables.

PURPOSE: Clustering methods may be useful in epidemiology to better characterize exposures and account for their multidimensional aspects. In this context, application of clustering models allowing for highly dependent variables is of particular interest. We aimed to characterize patterns of domestic exposure to cleaning products using a novel clustering model allowing for highly dependent variables. METHODS: To identify domestic cleaning patterns in a large population of French women, we used a mixture model of dependency blocks. This novel approach specifically models within-class dependencies, and is an alternative to the latent class model, which assumes conditional independence. Analyses were conducted in 19,398 participants of the E3N study (women aged 61-88 years) who completed a questionnaire regarding household cleaning habits. RESULTS: Seven classes were identified, which differed with the frequency of cleaning tasks (e.g., dusting/sweeping/hoovering) and use of specific products (e.g., bleach, sprays). The model also grouped the variables into conditionally independent blocks, providing a summary of the main dependencies among the variables. CONCLUSIONS: The mixture model of dependency blocks, a useful alternative to the latent class model, may have broader application in epidemiology, in particular, in the context of exposome research and growing need for data-reduction methods.

Occupational exposure to disinfectants and asthma control in US nurses.

Disinfectant use has been associated with adverse respiratory effects among healthcare workers. However, the specific harmful agents have not been elucidated. We examined the association between occupational exposure to disinfectants and asthma control in the Nurses' Health Study II, a large cohort of female nurses.Nurses with asthma were invited in 2014 to complete two questionnaires on their current occupation and asthma (response rate 80%). Asthma control was defined by the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Exposure to major disinfectants was evaluated by a job-task-exposure matrix (JTEM).Analyses included 4102 nurses with asthma (mean age 58 years). Asthma control was poor (ACT score 16-19) in 12% of nurses and very poor (ACT score ≤15) in 6% of nurses. Use of disinfectants to clean medical instruments (19% exposed) was associated with poorly (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.05-1.79) and very poorly (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.38-2.56) controlled asthma (ptrend=0.004, after adjustment for potential confounders). Using JTEM estimates, exposure to formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, hypochlorite bleach, hydrogen peroxide and enzymatic cleaners was associated with poor asthma control (all ptrend<0.05); exposure to quaternary ammonium compounds and alcohol was not.Use of several disinfectants was associated with poor asthma control. Our findings suggest targets for future efforts to prevent worsening of asthma control in healthcare workers.

Implementation of hospital-wide enhanced terminal cleaning of targeted patient rooms and its impact on endemic Clostridium difficile infection rates.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of a hospital-wide program of terminal cleaning of patient rooms revolving around hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) technology and evaluation of its impact on endemic nosocomial Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) have not been previously reported. METHODS: This was a retrospective quasiexperimental study involving a 900-bed community hospital. During the preintervention period (January 2007-November 2008), rooms vacated by patients with CDAD or on contact precautions for other targeted pathogens underwent 1 or more rounds of cleaning with bleach. During the intervention period (January-December 2009), targeted newly evacuated rooms underwent "enhanced cleaning" consisting of use of bleach followed by HPV decontamination utilizing a priority scale based on the pathogen and room location. Rooms vacated by patients with CDAD but for which HPV decontamination was not possible the same day underwent 4 rounds of cleaning with bleach instead. RESULTS: During the intervention period, 1,123 HPV decontamination rounds were performed involving 96.7% of hospital rooms. Of 334 rooms vacated by patients with CDAD (May-December 2009), 180 (54%) underwent HPV decontamination. The rate of nosocomial CDAD rate dropped significantly from 0.88 cases/1,000 patient-days to 0.55 cases/1,000 patient-days (rate ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval: 0.50-0.79, P < .0001). CONCLUSION: A hospital-wide program of enhanced terminal cleaning of targeted patient rooms revolving around HPV technology was practical and was associated with a significant reduction in CDAD rates.

Biocides--resistance, cross-resistance mechanisms and assessment.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD: Antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens has increased worldwide leading to treatment failures. Concerns have been raised about the use of biocides as a contributing factor to the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) development. In vitro studies demonstrating increase in resistance have often been cited as evidence for increased risks. It is therefore important to understand the mechanisms of resistance employed by bacteria toward biocides used in consumer products and their potential to impart cross-resistance to therapeutic antibiotics. AREAS COVERED: In this review, the mechanisms of resistance and cross-resistance reported in the literature toward biocides commonly used in consumer products are summarized. The physiological and molecular techniques used in describing and examining these mechanisms are reviewed and application of these techniques for systematic assessment of biocides for their potential to develop resistance and/or cross-resistance is discussed. EXPERT OPINION: The guidelines in the usage of biocides in household or industrial purpose should be monitored and regulated to avoid the emergence of any MDR strains. The genetic and molecular methods to monitor the resistance development to biocides should be developed and included in preclinical and clinical studies.

Enhanced environmental disinfection systems. Can they help you reduce infection rates?

Enhanced environmental disinfection systems are designed to disinfect surfaces of patient rooms using vaporized agents, UV light, or other techniques. But just how effective are they at reducing healthcare-associated infection rates? The jury is still out.

Intraoperative patient skin prep agents: is there a difference?

For health care institutions, intraoperative prep agents are a critical link in combating surgical site infections and the associated economic burden. The question remains, is there an intraoperative prep agent that is truly superior to the others? We conducted a literature review to examine available empirical evidence related to intraoperative prep agents used in our health system for open abdominal, general surgery procedures: povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine gluconate, parachoroxylenol, and iodine povacrylex in 74% isopropyl alcohol. Intraoperative surgical skin prep studies were limited in providing empirical evidence to support one superior prep agent. Each prep agent has a specific mechanism of action along with specific advantages and disadvantages. We concluded that no one perioperative skin prep agent is superior in all clinical situations. Factors to consider when choosing an appropriate intraoperative skin prep agent include contraindications, environmental risks, the patient's allergies and skin condition, the surgical site, the manufacturer recommendations for the prep agent, and surgeon preference.

Effectiveness of common household cleaning agents in reducing the viability of human influenza A/H1N1.

BACKGROUND: In the event of an influenza pandemic, the majority of people infected will be nursed at home. It is therefore important to determine simple methods for limiting the spread of the virus within the home. The purpose of this work was to test a representative range of common household cleaning agents for their effectiveness at killing or reducing the viability of influenza A virus. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Plaque assays provided a robust and reproducible method for determining virus viability after disinfection, while a National Standard influenza virus RT-PCR assay (VSOP 25, www.hpa-standardmethods.org.uk) was adapted to detect viral genome, and a British Standard (BS:EN 14476:2005) was modified to determine virus killing. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Active ingredients in a number of the cleaning agents, wipes, and tissues tested were able to rapidly render influenza virus nonviable, as determined by plaque assay. Commercially available wipes with a claimed antiviral or antibacterial effect killed or reduced virus infectivity, while nonmicrobiocidal wipes and those containing only low concentrations (<5%) of surfactants showed lower anti-influenza activity. Importantly, however, our findings indicate that it is possible to use common, low-technology agents such as 1% bleach, 10% malt vinegar, or 0.01% washing-up liquid to rapidly and completely inactivate influenza virus. Thus, in the context of the ongoing pandemic, and especially in low-resource settings, the public does not need to source specialized cleaning products, but can rapidly disinfect potentially contaminated surfaces with agents readily available in most homes.

Irritancy and allergic responses induced by topical application of ortho-phthalaldehyde.

Although ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) has been suggested as an alternative to glutaraldehyde for the sterilization and disinfection of hospital equipment, the toxicity has not been thoroughly investigated. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the irritancy and sensitization potential of OPA. The EpiDerm Skin Irritation Test was used to evaluate in vitro irritancy potential of OPA and glutaraldehyde. Treatment with 0.4125 and 0.55% OPA induced irritation, while glutaraldehyde exposure at these concentrations did not. Consistent with the in vitro results, OPA induced irritancy, evaluated by ear swelling, when mice were treated with 0.75%. Initial evaluation of the sensitization potential was conducted using the local lymph node assay at concentrations ranging from 0.005 to 0.75%. A concentration-dependent increase in lymphocyte proliferation was observed with a calculated EC3 value of 0.051% compared to that of 0.089%, previously determined for glutaraldehyde. Immunoglobulin (Ig) E-inducing potential was evaluated by phenotypic analysis of draining lymph node (DLN) cells and measurement of total and specific serum IgE levels. The 0.1 and 0.75% exposed groups yielded significant increases in the IgE+B220+ cell population in the lymph nodes while the 0.75% treated group demonstrated significant increases in total IgE, OPA-specific IgE, and OPA-specific IgG(1). In addition, significant increases in interleukin-4 messenger RNA and protein expression in the DLNs were observed in OPA-treated groups. The results demonstrate the dermal irritancy and allergic potential of OPA and raise concern about the proposed/intended use of OPA as a safe alternative to glutaraldehyde.

Microbial biofilm formation in DUWS and their control using disinfectants.

OBJECTIVES: Due to the presence of extended narrow bore tubing and long periods of stagnation, dental unit water systems (DUWs) can be prone to relatively high levels of microbial contamination, including the formation of biofilm and the presence of opportunistic pathogens, irrespective of the source and quality of the inflowing water. Whilst the European Union (EU) has yet to set a definitive microbiological guideline, the American Dental Association (ADA) has set a maximum of <200 colony forming units (cfu)/ml for DUWs water in the USA. The objective of this review is to discuss why microbial contamination and biofilms are so prevalent in DUWs, as well as the role of disinfectants and their potential for achieving microbial water quality levels recommended by the ADA. STUDY SELECTION: The review outlines the principal factors responsible for biofilm formation in DUWs and a number of mechanisms used for microbial control. SOURCES: The source material contained in this review is taken from the peer-reviewed literature. DATA: A variety of disinfectants are available for use, but controlled laboratory and clinical studies have shown that they can vary markedly in their efficacy and suitability for use. Some products have been shown to successfully remove biofilm and consistently reduce the microbial load of out-flowing water to <200 cfu/ml. CONCLUSIONS: The effective delivery of approved disinfectants can control the level of microorganisms in DUWs at acceptable levels.

Comparative sporicidal effects of disinfectants after release of a biological agent.

Because of spore formation, Bacillus anthracis is considered the most resistant biological warfare agent known. The present study aimed to assess and compare well-known decontamination routes to inactivate the spores on daily-use environmental tools contaminated previously. To simulate the agent, Bacillus atrophaeus was used. Various environmental samples (such as tile, fabric clothing, wood, protective suit, glass, paper, soil, water, plastic, and metal) that may be contaminated after a biological incident were used as test carriers and inoculated with B. atrophaeus. Sodium hypochlorite, free chlorine, autoclaving, ethylene oxide, hydrogen peroxide, ultraviolet irradiation, and boiling decontaminated the samples. Glutaraldehyde (2%) and free chlorine solution (10,000 mg/L) were also found to be effective in decontaminating the samples and are recommended as alternatives to the use of sodium hypochlorite solution. Soil, tile, paper, and metal were determined to be the most difficult materials to decontaminate. It was concluded that 5% hypochlorite adjusted with acetic acid might also be used for decontamination. Decontamination strategies to reduce contamination of the environment by biological warfare agents need to be applied to mitigate the number of victims, in terms of prominent characteristics like cost-effectiveness and user-friendliness.

Proactive surveillance of contact allergies: an important component of the risk management strategy for skin sensitizers.

Risk assessment serves to ensure that dermal exposure to skin sensitizers does not result in the acquisition of allergic skin disease. Traditionally, the approach adopted was one of comparative analysis, involving benchmarking against other allergens of known potency. More recently, efforts have been made to embrace a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) approach. However, the accuracy of any risk assessment is reflected in the extent to which it meets the fundamental objective stated above. Thus, clinical experience is of key importance. There exists the possibility for the originators of risk assessments relating to chemicals that possess skin-sensitizing potential to work directly with the clinical community to proactively obtain this experience through specific surveillance programmes. This forms the focus of this review article. The current status of the QRA approach is considered initially. A recently published example of one such surveillance programme that was undertaken as a collaborative initiative between industry and the clinical community is then reviewed. Finally, a possible strategy for the future is presented, in which it is suggested that surveillance strategies might be deployed in certain situations as an adjunct to the initial risk assessment. It is hoped that such a framework might further improve the efficacy of future approaches to skin sensitization risk assessment.

Análisis de la eficacia de agentes químicos de desinfección en materiales elastoméricos / Analysis of the efficacy of disinfective chemical agents on elastomeric materials

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar la eficacia de agentes de desinfección indicados para polisulfuros (mercaptanos), poliéteres y siliconas por condensación y por adición. Fueron confeccionadas noventa muestras de cada material, siendo treinta de ellas contaminadas con Streptococcus mutans o Staphylococcus aureus o Candida albicans. De cada solución microbiana fueron retiradas diez muestras del polisulfeto y de ambas las siliconas, que fueron inmersas por diez minutos en glutaraldehído al 2 por ciento y otras diez inmersas en agua destilada estéril (control negativo). Después de un nuevo lavado en agua destilada, las muestras fueron transferidas a medios de cultivo estériles. Las diez muestras restantes no fueron sometidas al agente de desinfección y fueron transferidas a medios asociados a agentes antimicrobianos específicos (control positivo). La turbidez de los medios de cultivo fue evaluada como indicativo del crecimiento microbiano siguiéndose a la incubación por 24 h a 37O C y se realizó la dilución y sembrado en placas de Petri para contar las colonias. Para el poliéter fue ejecutado el mismo procedimiento, pero el agente de desinfección usado fue el hipoclorito de sodio a 1. No hubo turbidez comprobatoria del crecimiento microbiano en ninguno de los medios de cultivo que contenían los especimenes sometidos a los agentes de desinfección. Se concluyó que el glutaraldehído al 2 por ciento es un agente de desinfección eficaz para el polisulfuro y para las siliconas por adición y por condensación, así como el hipoclorito a 1 por ciento es eficaz para el poliéter, para los microorganismos evaluados

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the disinfection efficacy of elastomeric impression materials such as polysulfides, polyethers, condensation and addition silicones. Ninety samples of each material were made and every thirty samples contaminated with Streptococcus mutans or Staphylococcus aureus or Candida albicans. From each microbial solution there were taken ten samples of polysulfide and of both silicones which were immersed for ten minutes in a 2% glutaraldehyde solution and other ten immersed in sterile distilled water (negative control). After being washed again in distilled water, the samples were transferred to sterile culture medium. The last ten samples were not submitted to any disinfection agent and were transferred to mediums associated with specific anti-microbial agents (positive control). The turbidity of the culture mediums was evaluated as an indication of the microbial growth after a period of 24-hour incubation at 37oC and the dilution and seeding in Petri dishes were done to count the colonies. The same procedure was done for the polyether, but the disinfection agent used was 1% sodium hypoclorite. There was no proved turbidity of the microbial growth in any of the culture mediums which had samples submitted to the disinfection agents tested. It was concluded that the 2% glutaraldehyde is an effective disinfection agent to polysulfides and to both condensation and addition silicones, as well as 1% sodium hypoclorite is effective to polyether, for the tested microorganisms.

O objetivo deste estudo in vitro foi avaliar a eficácia de agentes de desinfecção indicados para polissulfetos, poliéteres e siliconas de condensação e adição. Foram confeccionadas noventa amostras de cada material, sendo cada trinta contaminadas com Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus ou Candida albicans. De cada solução microbiana foram retiradas dez amostras do polissulfeto e de ambas as siliconas, que foram imersas por dez minutos no glutaraldeído a 2% e outras dez imersas em água destilada estéril (controle negativo). Após nova lavagem em água destilada, as amostras foram transferidas para meios de cultura estéreis. As dez amostras restantes não foram submetidas ao agente de desinfecção e foram transferidas para meios associados a agentes antimicrobianos específicos (controle positivo). A turbidez dos meios de cultura foi avaliada como indicativo de crescimento microbiano após incubação por 24 h a 37O C e realizou-se a diluição e semeadura nas placas de Petri para contagem de colônias. Para o poliéter foi executado o mesmo procedimento, porém o agente de desinfecção empregado foi o hipoclorito de sódio a 1%. Não houve turvação comprobatória de crescimento bacteriano em nenhum dos meios da cultura que continham corpos de prova submetidos aos agentes de desinfecção. Concluiu-se que o glutaraldeído a 2% é um agente de desinfecção eficaz para o polissulfeto e para as siliconas por adição e por condensação, assim como o hipoclorito a 1% é eficaz para o poliéter, para os microorganismos testados.