This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Carson, L. A. Articles by Petersen, N. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Carson, L. A. Articles by Petersen, N. J. Agricola Articles by Carson, L. A. Articles by Petersen, N. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1972 May; 23(5): 863-869
Copyright © 1972 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Factors Affecting Comparative Resistance of Naturally Occurring and Subcultured Pseudomonas aeruginosa to Disinfectants

¹ Applied Microbiology and Planetary Quarantine Section, Phoenix Laboratories, Center for Disease Control, Phoenix, Arizona 85014

ABSTRACT

A strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated in pure culture from the reservoir of a hospital mist therapy unit by an extinction-dilution technique; its natural distilled water environment was used as a growth and maintenance medium. After a single subculture on Trypticase soy agar, the strain showed a marked decrease in resistance to inactivation by acetic acid, glutaraldehyde, chlorine dioxide, and a quaternary ammonium compound when compared with naturally occurring cells grown in mist therapy unit water. The following factors were observed to affect the relative resistances of naturally occurring and subcultured cells of the P. aeruginosa strain: (i) temperature at which the cultures were incubated prior to exposure to disinfectants, (ii) growth phase of the cultures at the time of exposure to disinfectants, (iii) nature of the suspending menstruum for disinfectants, and (iv) exposure to fluorescent light during incubation of inocula prior to testing. The applied significance of these findings may alter the present concepts of disinfectant testing as well as routine control procedures in the hospital environment.