Antibacterial Effect of Disinfectants and Antiseptics

Abstract

Disinfectants and antiseptics are substances or solvents which play a key role inthe control of infections. Their wide functionality is applied in almost all human activities. Theseagents can have antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects. Disinfectants are synthetic agents thebiocidal effect of which destroys microorganisms in the environment, while antiseptics are appliedlocally, primarily on skin and/or mucosae. The morphological differences between Gram (+) andGram (–) bacteria raise questions regarding the biocidal effects of antibacterial agents againstdifferent types of infectious agents. The aim of our study is to evaluate the biocidal effect ofdisinfectants and antiseptics available on the market. The study uses a reference strain ofEscherichia coli and a laboratory isolate of Staphylococcus aureus. The analysis was conductedusing the agar well diffusion method. Results show that sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxideH2O2 and mouthwashing water demonstrate strong bactericidal effect on both Gram (+) and Gram(–) bacteria. The bath cleaner gel, which is considered effective against Escherichia coli,demonstrated effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus instead. The dishwashing gel,ethacridine lactate, silver water and lavandula water show intermediate or zero effect againstEscherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.