The Efficacy of Combination of Disinfectants or Antiseptics in Overcoming Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

This study evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of five biocides (disinfectants and antiseptics) on multidrug resistant isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. Disinfectants and antiseptics, used were chlorohexidine/cetrimide (savlon), povidone-iodine (betadine), ethyl alcohol (ethanol), sodium hypochlorite (chlorax) and glutaraldehyde (cidex). Eighty-three isolates out of 200 collected samples (41.5%) were identified as S. aureus and were screened for their sensitivity to methicillin and oxacillin. Two isolates MRSA/ORSA and ORSA were examined for their susceptibility to the above mentioned disinfectants and antiseptics. The highest concentration of these disinfectants and antiseptics were the most effective ones on both isolates. MRSA/ORSA and ORSA became more susceptible after re-inoculation with different kinds of disinfectants and antiseptics except ethyl alcohol which showed no effect. The combination between two disinfectants to overcome the microbial resistance was studied. The inhibition zone of combination between two biocides.(chlorhexidine/cetrimide & povidone-iodine) increases a little more than that with each antiseptic alone in case of double resistant isolate. The combination was less inhibitory when chlorhexidine/cetrimide was tested with single resistant isolate, but more inhibitory than the povidone-iodine at both higher and lower concentrations.