sodium-hypochlorite and chloroxylenol

Dettol and sodium hypochlorite have wide use as household disinfectants and cleaners. Intentional and nonintentional ingestion are widespread, mainly causing mild symptoms that require no specific treatment. However, severe complications can occur when large volumes are ingested. Both products affect the same organ systems in the body, which can result in fatalities when ingested together.. We present the case of a 26-year-old Asian man who died from multiorgan failure after deliberately ingesting a presumed large volume of Dettol and sodium hypochlorite. The case illustrates the severe complications that can occur with mixed ingestion of these commonly used household products.. Clinicians must be aware of the increased risk of death caused by the combined ingestion of chloroxylenol and sodium hypochlorite.

Topics: Adult; Disinfectants; Humans; Male; Sodium Hypochlorite; Xylenes

The effect of six available and commercial disinfectants on the embryonation and larval development of Toxascaris leonina eggs was studied. Dettol® and Virkon® both induced a 100% reduction in larval development (P ≤ 0.05). Dettol® resulted in deformed eggshells and a halt in embryonal development at 1 week post exposure. All Virkon®-treated eggs showed an early embryonic lysis 24 h post exposure. TH4+ and 70% ethanol both significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected larval development, with 58.8 and 85.8% reduction, respectively. Neither sodium hypochlorite nor phenol significantly affected larval development (2.8 and 21.0%, respectively). Sodium hypochlorite treatment caused a visible decortication of the eggshell; however, phenol-treated embryonated Toxascaris eggs appeared more or less morphologically normal. In conclusion, the disinfectants tested induced variable degrees of decortication and suppression of larval development. Virkon®S was the most effective disinfectant against Toxascaris eggs, suggesting that it is the most advisable one to use. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of Virkon®S as an ovicide and/or larvicide of helminths, particularly Toxascaris leonina.

Topics: Animals; Disinfectants; Larva; Peroxides; Phenol; Sodium Hypochlorite; Sulfuric Acids; Survival Analysis; Toxascaris; Xylenes; Zygote

The 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) infected over 8000 people and killed 774. Transmission of SARS occurred through direct and indirect contact and large droplet nuclei. The World Health Organization recommended the use of household disinfectants, which have not been previously tested against SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), to disinfect potentially contaminated environmental surfaces. There is a need for a surrogate test system given the limited availability of the SARS-CoV for testing and biosafety requirements necessary to safely handle it. In this study, the antiviral activity of standard household products was assayed against murine hepatitis virus (MHV), as a potential surrogate for SARS-CoV.. A surface test method, which involves drying an amount of virus on a surface and then applying the product for a specific contact time, was used to determine the virucidal activity. The virus titers and log reductions were determined by the Reed and Muench tissue culture infective dose (TCID)50 end point method.. When tested as directed, common household disinfectants or antiseptics, containing either 0.050% of triclosan, 0.12% of PCMX, 0.21% of sodium hypochlorite, 0.23% of pine oil, or 0.10% of a quaternary compound with 79% of ethanol, demonstrated a 3-log reduction or better against MHV without any virus recovered in a 30-second contact time.. Common household disinfectants and antiseptics were effective at inactivating MHV, a possible surrogate for SARS-CoV, from surfaces when used as directed. In an outbreak caused by novel agents, it is important to know the effectiveness of disinfectants and antiseptics to prevent or reduce the possibility of human-to-human transmission via surfaces.

Topics: Cells, Cultured; Disinfectants; Disinfection; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Environmental Microbiology; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Murine hepatitis virus; Pinus; Plant Oils; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; Sodium Hypochlorite; Triclosan; Virus Inactivation; Xylenes

Dettol (4.8% chloroxylenol, 9% pine oil and 12% isopropyl alcohol) has previously been reported to cause delayed upper airway obstruction when ingested, despite the product being labelled as non-poisonous. Domestos (1-5% sodium hypochlorite) is used as a household and toilet cleaner. This paper reports a rare case in which both agents were consumed together in significant quantities, and caused stridor and impending airway obstruction requiring endotracheal intubation in the emergency department. Patients who have ingested this combination of cleaning agents are at high risk of acute airway compromise, and should have expert upper airway evaluation and control as soon as possible after admission.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Aged; Airway Obstruction; Emergency Medical Services; Female; Humans; Poisoning; Respiratory Sounds; Sodium Hypochlorite; Treatment Outcome; Xylenes

To assess the response to the action of different antiseptics and disinfectants usually used in Argentinian hospitals of hospital staphylococci sensitive and resistant to methicillin. To test the effectiveness of the biocides by measuring their effective bactericidal concentrations, and to determine whether there is any correlation between biocide resistance and methicillin resistance in this bacterial population.. The action of seven biocides was tested against 25 strains of nosocomial Staphylococcus spp. sensitive and resistant to methicillin, and in Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538. Hospital strains were obtained from April, 2000 to May, 2002, from clinical samples (blood culture, urine culture, catheter tip or abscess) from male and female inpatients and outpatients at two tertiary hospitals. After isolation, antibiotic sensitivity was tested with the agar diffusion method of Kirby and Bauer. The action of hospital biocides on the strains was studied with the Kelsey-Sykes test, which establishes the effective bactericide concentrations of these compounds.. The results showed that the response of strains sensitive and resistant to methicillin varied in comparison to the collection strain. Chlorhexidine digluconate, povidone iodine, weak tincture of iodine and alkaline glutaraldehyde were effective against most strains, regardless of whether they were sensitive or resistant to methicillin.. We found no indication of a relationship between resistance to methicillin and resistance to biocides. Our study shows that further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of chemical agents against microorganisms that have been exposed to antibiotic therapies.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Argentina; Benzalkonium Compounds; Child; Chlorhexidine; Cross Infection; Disinfectants; Female; Glutaral; Humans; Iodine Compounds; Male; Methicillin Resistance; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Middle Aged; Povidone-Iodine; Sodium Hypochlorite; Staphylococcal Infections; Staphylococcus; Xylenes

The present study evaluates the efficiency of the following decontaminating agents for the multiresistant, locally circulating bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa: glutaraldehyde 2%--makes A and B-, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde; povidone-iodine-makes A, B and C-; sodium hypochloride; chloroxylenol--makes A and B-; and lapire chloride. The 9027 ATCC strain was used as a standard. A modification of the method of Kelsey and Sykes (1) was used to evaluate decontaminating efficiency. Highly satisfactory results were obtained with glutaraldehide 2% A and B, glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde and sodium hypochlorite. The results for povidone-iodine A, B and C were satisfactory but were unsatisfactory for chloroxylenol and lapirium chloride.

Topics: Dental Disinfectants; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Formaldehyde; Glutaral; Humans; Povidone-Iodine; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Quality Control; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Sodium Hypochlorite; Xylenes

A collaborative study to determine the precision of the 1987 Method of test for the antimicrobial activity of disinfectants in food hygiene is described. The repeatability and reproducibility of the test was found to vary according to the nature of the test organism, the type of disinfectant product and the skill of the operator. Results indicate that significant differences in microbicidal effect (ME values) occur within test laboratories between test periods as well as between laboratories, and that much of this variability derives from apparently random variations in the resistance of test strains from day to day and test period to test period. Indications are that although the test is sufficiently reliable to be used as a standard method, adequate test replication must be specified to distinguish borderline pass from borderline fail disinfectant concentrations. The implications of the results in relation to current work on the development of unified European test methods for disinfectants is discussed.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Anti-Infective Agents, Local; Bacteriological Techniques; Benzalkonium Compounds; Candida albicans; Chlorhexidine; Disinfectants; Ethanol; European Union; Observer Variation; Relative Biological Effectiveness; Reproducibility of Results; Sodium Hypochlorite; Time Factors; Xylenes