Sensitivity of enterococci to chlorine-releasing biocides

If hospitals want to avoid and combat outbreaks of enterococcal intestinal bacteria, it is extremely important that they comply with the contact time and concentration of disinfectants. Since 2012, there has been an increase in enterococcal infections contracted in hospitals. The VREfm type in particular poses a particularly high risk to patients, as it cannot be combated with the antibiotic vancomycin due to resistance. This antibiotic is typically used to combat serious infections with enterococci. Out of all infections with enterococci, VREfm accounts for over 10%, which is a problem in terms of control, as in these cases other types of antibiotics must be used, which have more side effects than vancomycin.

A study on the sensitivity of enterococci to chlorine-containing disinfectants showed that at normal use concentrations of the chlorine-containing disinfectant there was no difference in mortality between VREfm and other types of enterococci. Nor was there a difference in the contact time, i.e. the time during which the bacteria must be exposed to the disinfectant to achieve an effect, between VREfm and other types of enterococci. However, the experiments showed that all the types of enterococci tested could tolerate relatively high concentrations of the chlorine-containing disinfectant, and at the same time they could survive if the recommended contact time was not observed.

The ability of bacteria to survive desiccation on surfaces is critical for bacterial survival in hospitals, and it was found that the strains had a high ability to survive desiccation on surfaces. Thus, it was still possible to recover live bacteria after 27 days of desiccation.