Antiseptic
Antiseptic refers to a substance that inhibits the growth and development of microorganisms, particularly those that cause infection. It is commonly used to clean and disinfect wounds, as well as to sterilize medical equipment. Antiseptics are designed to be applied to living tissues and are generally less harsh than disinfectants, making them suitable for use on the skin and mucous membranes.
7 Key excerpts on "Antiseptic"
eBook - ePubAntisepsis, Disinfection, and Sterilization
Types, Action, and Resistance
- Gerald E. McDonnell(Author)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- ASM Press(Publisher)
...4 AntisepticS AND ANTISEPSIS 4.1 INTRODUCTION Antiseptics can be defined as biocidal products that destroy or inhibit the growth of microorganisms in or on living tissue, e.g., on the skin. In theory any biocide or biocidal process could be used on the skin or mucous membranes, although only a limited number are widely used. Living tissues are more sensitive to damage than hard surfaces; therefore, the requirements for the safe use of Antiseptics restrict the choice to those that have limited or no toxicity. Antiseptics can include a variety of formulations and preparations, such as antimicrobial hand washes, surgical scrubs, preoperative preparations, ointments, creams, tinctures, mouthwashes, and toothpastes. Overall, Antiseptics should demonstrate the following characteristics A wide spectrum of biocidal activity, particularly against bacteria, fungi, and viruses Rapid biocidal activity Little or no damage, irritation, or toxicity to the tissue Little or no absorption into the body If possible and applicable, some persistent biocidal (or biostatic) activity (many biocides used in Antiseptics remain on the skin following washing or application, allowing continuing biocidal and growth-inhibitory action or cumulative activity over time) 4.2 SOME DEFINITIONS SPECIFIC TO AntisepticS Antimicrobial soap : A soap- or detergent-based formulation that contains one or more Antiseptic agents at concentrations necessary to inhibit or kill microorganisms. Antisepsis : Destruction or inhibition of microorganisms in or on living tissue, e.g., on the skin or mucous membranes. Antiseptics are biocidal products used for antisepsis...
eBook - ePubBacterial Pathogenesis
A Molecular Approach
- Brenda A. Wilson, Malcolm Winkler, Brian T. Ho(Authors)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- ASM Press(Publisher)
...Most Antiseptics and disinfectants are bactericidal. Most are also effective against many other types of disease-causing microbes such as viruses, fungi, and protozoa. This broad coverage has a drawback, however, because the chemicals used as Antiseptics and disinfectants are often too toxic for internal use in humans and animals. Accordingly, they are applied only on inanimate surfaces or externally to skin or mucosal surfaces. “Disinfectant” is the term used to describe antimicrobial compounds applied to inanimate objects and surfaces. These can include harsh substances, such as chlorine compounds (e.g., bleach), reactive oxygen compounds (e.g., peroxides), iodine (e.g., Betadine), alcohols (e.g., isopropanol), phenolic compounds (e.g., carbolic acid, Lysol, triclosan, hexachlorophene) (see Box 15-1), cationic surfactants (e.g., quaternary ammonium compounds [QACs]), strong oxidizers (e.g., ozone), alkylating agents (e.g., formaldehyde), heavy metals and their salts, strong acids, and strong bases. Table 15-2 summarizes the mechanisms of action of these and other common disinfectants. Box 15-1. Triclo-Craze Hits the United States An Antiseptic compound much in the news in the late 1990s was an Antiseptic/disinfectant called triclosan. During the period under discussion, many companies began to market a variety of antibacterial plastic products, ranging from cutting boards to toys—products that are still popular with consumers today. This proved to be a very effective marketing strategy that sent millions of householders to their local stores to purchase these products that were guaranteed to protect them from deadly bacteria. The active ingredient in these products was a disinfectant/Antiseptic called triclosan. Triclosan was not actually added to those products to make them safer. Instead, the plastics were impregnated with triclosan to prevent bacterial degradation of the plastics...
eBook - ePub- Adam P. Fraise, Jean-Yves Maillard, Syed Sattar, Adam P. Fraise, Jean-Yves Maillard, Syed Sattar(Authors)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- Wiley-Blackwell(Publisher)
...Several of these methods are now recommended by regulatory agencies for use in generating data for product registration purposes. In this chapter, the term “Antiseptic” refers to any antimicrobial-containing product that is safe and effective when applied to the human skin and is capable of preventing transmission of organisms that cause infections in specific use environments. This chapter focuses on Antiseptic drug products used in healthcare. North American Regulatory Process Canada The authority of Health Canada (HC) to regulate the safety, efficacy and quality of therapeutic products is described in the Foods and Drug Act and Regulations [10]. Review of Antiseptics is the responsibility of Health Canada’s Health Products and Foods Branch (HPFB), which evaluates the evidence and determines whether the potential benefits of the therapeutic agent outweigh risks associated with product use. The stages of a therapeutic drug development program range from pre-clinical trials to post-authorization surveillance, inspection and investigation, as described in Figure 13.1. Figure 13.1 The Health Canada and United States Food and Drug Administration therapeutic drug product regulatory path. The regulatory path available to an Antiseptic depends on whether the active ingredient is defined as a new drug. A new drug is a brandname or proprietary product created by a company and patented, rather than reproduced by competitors. Such products are regulated under New Drug Submission (NDS) regulations. Antiseptic drug products not meeting the definition of a “new drug” and containing an active ingredient with an established safety and efficacy profile for a recognized use are regulated under the Drug Identification Number (DIN) regulations...
- Robert L. Bill(Author)
- 2016(Publication Date)
- Mosby(Publisher)
...Thus disinfecting agents are often chosen because “that's what we've always used” or an appealing price or sales pitch. A better approach is to identify the types of agents that pose the most threat to the patients or staff, the degree of organic material present in the areas to be disinfected, the speed of action of the agents to be targeted, the method of application, any safety concerns, and the cost. To start understanding these compounds, it is important first to understand the terminology commonly used to describe them. The terminology used to describe disinfecting agents can be confusing. In addition to the scientific terminology, many vague terms are frequently used by the general public or the marketing agency that promotes the sale of the product. The terms Antiseptic and disinfectant describe compounds with slightly different characteristics and uses. Antiseptics are chemical agents that kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms on living tissues. Disinfectants are chemical agents that kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms on inanimate objects such as surgical equipment, floors, and tabletops. 2 Disinfectants typically are more potentially toxic to veterinary patients, staff, or clients because they are intended for use on nonliving tissue and hence may be a more concentrated form of an Antiseptic or may have chemical characteristics that produce irritation or tissue damage. Although the distinction between the two terms is often blurred by those who do not understand the difference, the veterinary technician needs to understand the delineation between the two: Antiseptic is for living tissues; disinfectant is for inanimate objects. Some disinfectants are listed as high-level, intermediate-level, and low-level disinfectants, a designation that generally refers to the ability of the disinfectant to kill pathogens with different levels of susceptibility...
- Frank M. Aarestrup, Stefan Schwarz, Lina Maria Cavaco, Jianzhong Shen, Stefan Schwarz, Lina Maria Cavaco, Jianzhong Shen(Authors)
- 2018(Publication Date)
- ASM Press(Publisher)
...One of the recommended interventions is better hygiene and control of bacteria on surfaces in health care settings but also in animal husbandry (4). In health care settings biocides are heavily used for the disinfection of environmental surfaces and medical devices and for antisepsis. The growing number of’stud„ies highlighting the presence, and at times persistence, of bacterial pathogens, including multidrug-resistant ones, on surfaces despite the use of decontamination (5 – 14) acknowledges that microorganisms can survive on surfaces and be transmitted to patients, staff, and inanimate objects (15), thus finally emphasizing the importance’of controlling the microbial burden on sur„faces. This newly found appreciation for controlling microbial pathogens on surfaces has led to an explosion of surface disinfection products and their marketing (16 – 18), contributing to a higher concentration of biocides eventually released in the environment. The ability of biocides or biocidal products to decrease’the microbial bioburden on surfaces is also highly relevant in animal husbandry, farm buildings, barns, equipment, and vehicles, where their use should contribute to reducing the spread of pathogens. This also’includes their use to prevent infectious outbreaks from spreading from farms; for example, large quantities of biocides are being sprayed in the environment and on vehicles in an attempt to decrease the spread of’animal viral diseases (19). The heavy use of biocidal products where heavy soiling is present, in particular, their use on vehicle wheels and undercarriages, deserves better scrutiny of its efficacy in preventing potential outbreaks. The use of biocidal products also includes the dis„infection of various environmental surfaces, antibio„fouling, the preservation of building materials, and water and wastewater treatment...
eBook - ePub- Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu, Alina Maria Holban(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
...Several indigenous applications are known for traditional antimicrobials derived from natural resources that possess pharmaceutical and biomedical activities (Calo et al., 2015 ; Cleveland et al., 2001). As many of these compounds are safe to consume, their application in food preservation could be promising for consumers and manufacturers. Antimicrobials can be broadly categorized into three main categories based on their origin: those from microorganisms, animals, and plants. The present chapter includes a review of natural antimicrobials from a range of sources and their key role in food preservation. 2. Antimicrobial Agents Derived From Microorganisms Due to an escalation in consumer concern about the synthetic chemicals used for food preservation, there is a trend toward less processed food and the use of active components from biomass. Many of the antimicrobial agents currently used in food biopreservation, such as nisin, natamycin, pediocin, reuterin, and so on, have been derived from the microbial world and are discussed below. 2.1. Bacteriocins Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized bacterial peptides or proteinaceous proteins with antimicrobial activity produced by several bacterial species. Bacteriocins were first reported in Escherichia coli in 1925 by André Gratia and his colleagues, who called them colicins (Cotter et al., 2005). The term “bacteriocins” is mostly used to describe the small, heat-stable cationic peptides synthesized by Gram-positive bacteria, namely lactic acid bacteria (LAB), that exhibit a broad spectrum of inhibitory effects toward several pathogenic bacterial isolates (García et al., 2010a ; Gharsallaoui et al., 2016). Nevertheless, most bacteriocins are relatively large proteins of up to 80 kDa in molecular weight that eradicate very closely related bacteria upon binding with the inner membrane or cytosolic targets...
eBook - ePub- James T. Walker(Author)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Woodhead Publishing(Publisher)
...The role of the sub-MIC presence of biocides in the domestic and clinical environment must not be underestimated as a potential cause of long-term environmental pressure on bacteria to evolve resistance mechanisms toward these compounds and subsequent associated cross-resistance toward antibiotics. The review by Saleh et al. [32] takes a balanced look at this possibility regarding triclosan. The literature regarding the resistance of viruses mainly addresses their capsid structure and associated tolerance toward selected antimicrobials. 12.6 Future trends Given the lack of either national or EU guidance on the selection and testing of biocides for use in clinical situations, it is unlikely that a unified system of regulation will appear any time soon. However, it is possible that the clinical and scientific community may be in a position to drive the development of such guidelines by provision of an evidence base, which may help form opinion on this subject at the appropriate national and EU fora. Until such guidelines are developed the managing authorities of the various components of the health service are at liberty to adopt both biocides and testing protocols (if any) as they see fit. In such circumstances, it is probable that the use of biocides in clinical situations will continue to be a case of custom and practice informed by the occasional literature or HSE intervention. 12.7 Sources of further information and advice Biocides: introduction and objectives. European Commission. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/biocides/index.htm [Accessed 14 June 2012]. Biocides. Health & safety executive. http://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/index.htm [Accessed 14 June 2012]. Infection: prevention and control of healthcare-associated infections in primary and community care...
