Antiseptics & Disinfectants, Pt. 2 Flashcards
What biguanide is used as an antiseptic? What activity does it have and lack?
Chlorhexidine, a synthetic cationic antiseptic compound
better activity against Gram-positive than against Gram-negative
lacks sporicidal activity
What is the mechanism of action of Chlorhexidine? What major benefits does its use have?
disrupts bacterial cell membranes and precipitates cells contents
- retains activity in the presence of blood and other organic material
- extremely low toxicity even when used on intact skin of newborns
What is polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB)? What common uses does it have?
polymeric biguanide with activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staph. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus equi
- eye, mouth, and vaginal infections
- contact lens disinfectants
- ear flush
What kind of antimicrobial activity do formaldehyde and formalin have? What is its mechanism of action?
effective, but slow bactericide (M. tuberculosis), virucide (FMD), and fungicide requiring 6-12 hours of contact time
inactivates microorganisms by alkylating amino and sulfhydryl groups of proteins and nitrogen rings of purines
(formaldehyde = gas/liquid; formalin = 37% aqueous formaldehyde)
Does organic matter affect formaldehyde/formalin action? What is it commonly combined with?
NO
alcohol —> chemical sterilant for surgical instruments (noncorrosive!)
What does the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health require for the handling of formaldehyde/formalin?
handled as potential carcinogens, limiting worker exposure time
How does glutaraldehyde compare to formaldehyde? What is its mechanism of action?
better bactericidal, virucidal, and sporicidal activity
alkylates sulfhydryl, hydroxyl, carboxyl, and amino groups on RNA, DNA, and proteins
What are the 4 major benefits to using glutaraldehyde?
- wide spectrum
- retains biocidal activity in the presence of organic material
- noncorrosive to metal, rubber, and plastic
- doesn’t damage lensed instruments
How must glutaraldehyde solutions be used?
in well-ventilated areas —> high air concentrations can be irritating to eyes and nasal passage
What use is inappropriate for formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde?
antiseptic —> caustic nature (requires protective gloves to be worn when used as a disinfectant)
What oxidizing agents are commonly used as antiseptics and disinfectants? What are they not suitable for use?
hydrogen peroxide and potassium peroxymonosulfate
routine wound care —-> damages fibroblasts
What has hydrogen peroxide been formulated to contain?
surfactants and stabilizers to improve antimicrobial activity
- marketed as a powder and is stable in solution for about 1 week
What 4 microbes is potassium peroxymonosulfate effective against? What is it most commonly used for?
- viruses
- Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria
- fungi (mold and yeast)
- Mycoplasma
- pools or hot tubs
- high-level disinfectant in laboratories, dental care facilities, and hospitals
What step is important for clearing organic material? What is commonly used in this step?
physical cleaning before disinfection
chlorine and iodine-based disinfectants or QACs
What organic materials typically reduce antimicrobial activity? In what 2 ways do they do this?
blood, pus, feces, soil, food, milk
- chemical reactions with the compound leave a smaller amount available for killing
- spatial nonreactions leave make the compound unable to reach the organism
What disinfectant is less affected by organic material contamination? How does this affect its use?
glutaraldehyde
useful for instruments whose surface or design makes it impossible to be thoroughly cleaned