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View/Open - ARAN - National University of Ireland, Galway

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Chapter 1<br />

standardised approach to disinfectant and biocide testing. The European<br />

Committee for Standardisation have developed protocols for documenting<br />

efficacy <strong>of</strong> products sold within the European Union [130]. According to the<br />

European suspension test (EN1040) a 5 log 10 reduction in the number <strong>of</strong><br />

viable cells (99.999%) is necessary to prove the efficacy <strong>of</strong> a disinfectant<br />

[131-132]. However according to the EN 13697 bactericidal activity is<br />

defined as >4 log 10 reduction <strong>of</strong> organisms attached to a surface under<br />

examination [133-134].<br />

1.16.1. Tolerance to disinfectants<br />

When cells in a mature bi<strong>of</strong>ilm come into contact with disinfectants, it is<br />

hypothesised that the cells deep within the bi<strong>of</strong>ilm matrix are protected by<br />

the outer layers <strong>of</strong> cells and extracellular polymeric matrix. As a result <strong>of</strong><br />

this protection these cells only come into contact with sub-lethal doses <strong>of</strong><br />

the chemicals therefore this may be responsible for both phenotypic and<br />

genotypic adaptation [105]. The stress adaptation by bi<strong>of</strong>ilm cells may also<br />

give rise to an increase in population <strong>of</strong> resistant or tolerant cells [76]. This<br />

may result in limited antibiotic options in the case <strong>of</strong> salmonellosis<br />

infection [135].<br />

Braoudaki and Hilton highlighted this concern when they demonstrated<br />

that the use <strong>of</strong> disinfectants (benzalkonium chloride, chlorhexidine and<br />

triclosan) against Salmonella enterica may encourage cross resistance to<br />

antibiotics [136]. This research demonstrated that if Salmonella Virchow<br />

was exposed to sub-inhibitory concentrations <strong>of</strong> benzalkonium chloride it<br />

became relatively more resistant to 8/18 antibiotics tested in comparison<br />

to the parent strain [136]. Similarly Karatzas et al. found that when S.<br />

Typhimurium was exposed to sub-lethal doses <strong>of</strong> three disinfectants<br />

(oxidising compound blend, quaternary ammonium blend and a tar-acid<br />

Page<br />

28

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