Antibacterial Effect of Disinfectants and Antiseptics

Abstract

Disinfectants and antiseptics are substances or solvents which play a key role in
the control of infections. Their wide functionality is applied in almost all human activities. These
agents can have antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects. Disinfectants are synthetic agents the
biocidal effect of which destroys microorganisms in the environment, while antiseptics are applied
locally, primarily on skin and/or mucosae. The morphological differences between Gram (+) and
Gram (–) bacteria raise questions regarding the biocidal effects of antibacterial agents against
different types of infectious agents. The aim of our study is to evaluate the biocidal effect of
disinfectants and antiseptics available on the market. The study uses a reference strain of
Escherichia coli and a laboratory isolate of Staphylococcus aureus. The analysis was conducted
using the agar well diffusion method. Results show that sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide
H2O2 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 against
Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.