In vitro activity of active ingredients of disinfectants against drug-resistant fungi.

Abstract

The biocidal activities of peracetic acid and ethanol were tested against nine clinical fungal isolates and four reference strains. Ethanol was active (≥ 4.0 log10-reduction) against yeasts at a concentration of 50 % v/v and against moulds at 80 % v/v. Exposure times in both cases were 1 min. Peracetic acid was active as a 0.25 % solution against yeasts and as a 0.5 % solution against moulds; exposure times in both cases were 5 min. Compared to the reference strains, clinical isolates, including multidrug resistant ones, showed similar or higher sensitivity to the active ingredients of disinfectants in vitro.