Comparison of disinfectant efficacy when using high-volume directed mist application of accelerated hydrogen peroxide and peroxymonosulfate disinfectants in a large animal hospital.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY

Effective decontamination of animal holding environments is critical for providing high quality patient care and maintaining a safe working environment. Disinfection of animal holding environments is a significant challenge during times of epidemic disease.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the disinfectant efficacy of 3 strategies for high-volume directed mist application of accelerated hydrogen peroxide and peroxymonosulfate disinfectants; 4.25% accelerated hydrogen peroxide (Accel(®) ; AHP) at a 1:16 dilution and single and double applications of 2% peroxymonosulfate solution (Virkon-S(®) ; VIR-1 and VIR-2) for decontamination of a large animal hospital environment.

STUDY DESIGN

Experiment.

METHODS

After cleaning and disinfection of the hospital environment, transparencies experimentally contaminated with known concentrations of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were placed on vertical surfaces. Disinfectant solution was applied by directed mist application and, after 30 min of contact time, transparencies were collected and individually placed into tubes containing 10 ml Dey-Engley broth. The process was repeated for each disinfectant. Tenfold dilutions of each sample were plated onto tryptic soy blood agar with 5% sheep blood. Bacterial counts from transparencies exposed to disinfectants were compared with counts from control transparencies (unexposed to disinfectants) to evaluate reduction in colony forming units.

RESULTS

The least squares mean reduction (log10 ) in colony forming units (CFUs) for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa was 1.5-2.5 logs and approximately 0.8-1.0 logs for S. enterica. Reductions were generally largest for VIR-2 and smallest for AHP, although these differences were not all statistically significant and the magnitude of differences may not be clinically relevant.

CONCLUSIONS

For the organisms evaluated, all 3 disinfectants applied as a directed mist were effective at reducing CFUs in a veterinary hospital environment. Effective disinfection using this method of application is dependent on adequate cleaning prior to application, and use of adequate volumes of disinfectant.