Efficacy of the disinfectants and antiseptics used in hospitals

Background: One of the major causes of increasing nosocomial infections is misusing disinfectants and antiseptics in hospitals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of disinfectants and antiseptics using in injections and dressing wards, operation rooms and kitchen of Hamedan hospitals. Materials and Methods: In this study 742 samples were collected before and after disinfections from different parts of injection, dressing wards and operation rooms. Disinfectants and antiseptics that were used in different parts of wards were Halamide, Beh-Assa, Kereoeline, Formaldehyde, Glutaraldehyde, Chlorhexidine, Hygiene, Savlone, Alcohol 70% and UV ray. The efficacy of disinfectants that were prepared in hospitals and medical microbiology laboratory of medicine faculty was evaluated. The efficacy of disinfectants and antiseptics were tested on Staphylococcus and E. coli by disk diffusion method. Data was gathered through a questionnaire and analyzed using K2 and Mann-Whitney methods. Findings: From 742 samples, 308 positive cultures (41.6%) were detected. The frequency mean of the contamination before disinfection was 50.1% and after disinfection was 33.8%. From 308 positive cultures in two hospitals, 173 (56.2%) gram negative bacteria and 135 (43.8%) gram positive bacteria were isolated. The most effective disinfectants that were used in two hospitals were Glutaraldehyde 2%, Formaldehyde 8%, Chlorhexidine 1%, Savlone 3.2%. The lowest effective disinfectants were Beh-Assa 1%, Kereoeline 2.5%, and Alcohol 70%. The frequency mean of contamination before UV ray disinfection was 51.4% and after disinfection was 48.6%, which indicate no significant difference. Disinfectants and antiseptics that were prepared in hospitals and those that prepared in medical microbiology laboratory showed minor differences. Conclusion: In this study, the frequency mean of contamination before and after disinfections showed significant differences (P-value=0/001). So, the efficacy of disinfectants used in the two hospitals was satisfactory. However, disinfectants that were prepared in hospitals and those that prepared in medical microbiology laboratory showed minor differences. Therefore, it is suggested that the disinfectants and antiseptics which are used in hospitals should be prepared under supervision of hospital health experts.