Main Article Content
The Role of Antiseptic in Infection Control.
Abstract
Before the introduction of antibiotics, antiseptics were the only method of infection control. The emergence of organisms that are resistant to antibiotics has called for the increased use of
relevant antiseptics in some cases. Antiseptics, like antibiotics, need to be tested in order to determine their antimicrobial activity against a range of organisms. The suspension test, an in vitro method, has proved that many resistant bacteria, such as methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin- resistant Enterococcus faecalis, are killed within 5 minutes by antiseptics such as Dettol and Beta dine. The more relevant surface and skin
tests proved the good activity of some antiseptics, such as Dettol, against Staphylococcus aureus and other organisms such as Candida albicans. Virucidal tests have also shown that Dettol, Hibitane and Betadine were all effective against the human immunodeficiency virus after 1 minute and that Dettol, Savlon and Dettol Hospital Concentrate killed Herpes simplex virus Type - 1 after 5 minutes. It is possible that an increased use of antiseptics, both in the
environment and on the skin, may help to limit the transmission of some infectious disease, and may help to alleviate the problem of antibiotic resistance.
Journal of the Nigerian Infection Control Association Vol. 1 No. 1 (Oct 1998): pp 8-10
relevant antiseptics in some cases. Antiseptics, like antibiotics, need to be tested in order to determine their antimicrobial activity against a range of organisms. The suspension test, an in vitro method, has proved that many resistant bacteria, such as methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin- resistant Enterococcus faecalis, are killed within 5 minutes by antiseptics such as Dettol and Beta dine. The more relevant surface and skin
tests proved the good activity of some antiseptics, such as Dettol, against Staphylococcus aureus and other organisms such as Candida albicans. Virucidal tests have also shown that Dettol, Hibitane and Betadine were all effective against the human immunodeficiency virus after 1 minute and that Dettol, Savlon and Dettol Hospital Concentrate killed Herpes simplex virus Type - 1 after 5 minutes. It is possible that an increased use of antiseptics, both in the
environment and on the skin, may help to limit the transmission of some infectious disease, and may help to alleviate the problem of antibiotic resistance.
Journal of the Nigerian Infection Control Association Vol. 1 No. 1 (Oct 1998): pp 8-10
