The antiviral action of chloroxylenol, benzalkonium chloride and cetrimide/chlorhexidine was assessed against a range of enveloped and non-enveloped human viruses using a suspension test method. Viral suspensions of 10(6)-10(7) pfu/TCID50 or sfu were prepared in each of the antiseptic/disinfectant solutions in the presence of a bovine serum/yeast extract mixture to simulate 'dirty conditions'. During incubation, aliquots were removed at predetermined timepoints up to 10 min to assess the kinetics of inactivation. Results indicate that all products were effective in inactivating the enveloped viruses herpes simplex virus type 1 and human immunodeficiency virus type 1, whilst being ineffective in inactivating human coronavirus, also enveloped, and the non-enveloped viruses. The exception to this was the benzalkonium chloride-based product (Dettol Hospital Concentrate) which was active against the non-enveloped human coxsackie virus. Four antiseptic/disinfectant solutions with chloroxylenol, benzalkonium chloride, cetrimide/chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine were also assessed for antiviral effect against human immunodeficiency virus in the presence of whole human blood. All four solutions proved to be effective within 1 min despite the cytotoxic nature of the compounds to the detection system.

Summary. The production of staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, C, D and E among 200 strains of Staphylococcus aureus was surveyed using a double diffusion immunoprecipitation technique. Enterotoxin A was found to occur most frequently and enterotoxin B least frequently. The distribution of enterotoxigenicity in strains isolated from meat products differed from that of strains isolated from dairy products. The correlations of porcine plasma coagulation and of bacteriophage pattern with enterotoxigenicity were determined.

The effectiveness of four antiseptics representing soluble phenolics (Dettol), Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (QAC) (Dettol Hospital Concentrate: DHC), mixed QAC/chlorhexidine (Hibicet Hospital Concentrate: HHC) and povidone iodine (Betadine) was assessed using the proposed phase 2 step 1 European Suspension test. The in vitro activity of the antiseptics against two of the proposed challenge strains, i.e. Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was compared with that of 14 problematic clinical isolates of bacteria from a range of genera, including some multiple antibiotic resistant strains, and a clinical isolate of Candida albicans. In addition to the 5 min contact time recommended in the European test, a 1 min time was included. All four products, at their recommended use dilutions and a contact time of 5 min, achieved a Microbicidal Effect (ME) log reduction of at least 5 against the majority of organisms. Differences in activity between products were more pronounced and therefore the tests more discriminatory, when the contact time was reduced to 1 min. The clinical strains were not overtly more resistant to antiseptics than the standard test strains, suggesting that the CEN test strains mimic the antiseptic susceptibility of clinical isolates.

Introduction 2 Phenols 2.1 Sources of phenols -the coal-tar industry 2.2 Properties of phenolic fractions 2.3 Formulation of coal-tar disinfectants 2.4 The modern range of solubilized and emulsified phenolic disinfectants 2.4.1 Cresol and soap solution British Pharmacopoeia (BP) 1963 (Lysol) 2.4.2 Black fluids 2.4.3 White fluids 2.5 Non-coal-tar phenols 2.5.1 4-Tertiary octylphenol 2.5.2 2-Phenylphenol (2-phenylphenoxide) 2.5.3 4-Hexylresorcinol 2.6 Halo and nitrophenols 2.6.1 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol 2.6.2 Pentachlorophenol (2-phenylphenoxide) 2.6.3 4-Chloro-3-methylphenol (chlorocresol) 2.6.4 4-Chloro-3,5-dimethylphenol (chloroxylenol; para-chloro-metaxylenol; PCMX) 2.6.5 2,4-Dichloro-3,5-dimethylphenol (dichloroxylenol; dichloro-meta-xylenol; DCMX) 2.6.6 4-Chloro-3-methylphenol (para-chlorometa-cresol; PCMC) 2.6.7 Monochloro-2-phenylphenol 2.6.8 2-Benzyl-4-chlorophenol (chlorphen; ortho-benzyl-para-chlorophenol; OBPCP) 2.6.9 Mixed chlorinated xylenols 2.6.10 Other halophenols 2.6.11 Nitrophenols 2.6.12 Formulated disinfectants containing chlorophenols 2.6.13 Phenol 2.7 Pine disinfectants 2.8Theory of solubilized systems 2.9The bisphenols 2.9.1 Derivatives of dihydroxydiphenylmethane 2.9.2 Derivatives of hydroxydiphenylether 2.9.3 Derivatives of diphenylsulphide 3 Organic and inorganic acids: esters and salts 3.1

The aim of this study was to ascertain the activity of a selection of widely-used antiseptic/disinfectant agents against antibiotic resistant bacteria and strains isolated from patients infected with clinically significant species. Four antiseptic agents (Dettol, Dettol Hospital Concentrate, Savlon and Betadine) were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin Resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Enterococcus hirae, Vancomicin Resistant Enterococcus sp (VRE), Escherichia coli and E. coli 0157. The antiseptics were applied at recommended use dilutions and at a half and a quarter of those concentrations in a standard suspension test (EST). Organic material was added to mimic the presence of blood, protein and other such contaminants to be found in the clinical situation. All antiseptics tested were effective against both the antibiotic sensitive and antibiotic resistant strains of S. aureus and E. hirae as well as normal and clinical strains of E. coli at recommended concentrations. All but Betadine were also effective against the antibiotic resistant bacteria at a half and a quarter of normal concentration. The iodine containing antiseptic, however, failed the test against MRSA at a half normal concentration and showed virtually no activity against MRSA at a quarter normal concentration.