Susceptibility of acinetobacter baumannii to several disinfectants

Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacterium known for its ability to cause severe nosocomial and community acquired infections. In recent years, the rise in multidrug-resistant strains of A. baumannii has posed significant challenges to infection control and patient management. Disinfection plays an important role in preventing the transmission of A. baumannii within healthcare settings. However, the susceptibility of this pathogen to commonly used disinfectants depend on several factors such as the specific disinfectant, concentration, contact time, and the presence of biofilms. The susceptibility of A. baumannii to disinfectants is often influenced by its intrinsic characteristics, such as the production of efflux pumps, outer membrane impermeability, and the presence of resistance mechanisms. These factors can contribute to reduced susceptibility or resistance to disinfectants, rendering traditional disinfection methods less effective. This study aimed to evaluate the susceptibility of A. baumannii strains to two kinds of disinfectants (Oxivir excel foam®, chlortab®) that are currently in use at Başkent University Hospital Ankara, by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) using broth microdilution method. According to our results all strains were susceptible to tested disinfectants. According to the MBC/MIC ratio which were less than 4, both of disinfectants showed bactericidal activity. The susceptibility of A. baumannii to biocides which are currently used at hospitals should be determined periodically, this strategy will be successful in the management of infection control, and it will allow us to identify whether there is resistance to disinfectants or not, allowing change the disinfectants if there are decreases in susceptibility.