Establishment of biocidal activity evaluation study protocol in healthcare facility for routine monitoring of antibacterial power of disinfectants

Abstract

Mitigation of the nosocomial infection risk is of prime importance in any healthcare facility to protect patients as well as the working staff's health. To ensure accomplishing this target, one of the crucial good practices is the establishment of rigorous sanitization and disinfection programs that should be executed as part of GxP activity in hospitals. The cornerstone of this task is the implementation of a biocidal validation protocol to evaluate the commercially available antimicrobial formulae in the market against the microorganisms that could be found in the environment. In the present study, a biochemically identified -at least to the genus level -Gram-negative microorganism was found on three different occasions belonging to the Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC). The disinfectant validation program was executed using four chemically different antimicrobial formulae that embraced alcohols, amphoteric detergent and peroxygen products. A preliminary neutralization study design evaluation was established before the biocidal assessment to ensure effective stoppage of the antimicrobial activity after a specific contact time with the microorganism using a bacterial count range between 40 and 100 Colony Forming Unit (CFU) which was determined by serial dilution. An acceptable neutralization (in terms of toxicity and efficacy) was achieved through a combination of chemical and dilution methods. Contact surface method for testing the biocides was applied using three different coupons that were made for the material of construction of the covers or lining of the walls, floors and metallic surfaces. Microbial reduction level exceeded 15,800 times the original count of ≥ 1 x 10 6 CFU/coupon with all groups and replicates at zero-and two-weeks storage time of the prepared and diluted disinfecting solution. The disinfectants that have been challenged in this study showed acceptable activity against the vegetative organism of concern in the healthcare industry with 2-hydroxypropane being slightly the least active among the group.