In recent years, hospital infections due to bacterial species such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aurus) and VRE (vancomycin resistant Enterococcus), have become a social problem and there have been increases in the number of elderly people and compromised hosts having impaired immunity In consideration of this, we tested the sterilization effect of ETHACOTT®commercial alcohol-impregnated cotton swabs whose alcohol content is equivalent to ethanol for disinfection. It was very effective against non-clinical species of bacteria when itssterilization effect was comparable with 70% isopropanol. We therefore examined its antibacterial effectiveness under controlled conditions in order to determine the best way of using of ETHACOTT®.
We also studied the effect of changing the ethanol concentration and cotton swab volume on sterilization capability using bacteria isolated in clinical practice at Hirosaki University Hospital. In bacteriological analysis, we found that for optimum effect, the swabs should be used within 5 days, noting decreased antibacterial effectiveness after seven days when in the package and after 3 hours when left in an open jar. The effectiveness of ETHACOTT® was observed to vary with the bacterial species, being particularly ineffective against MRSA and VRE.
We will report these results to the infection control center of Hirosaki University Hospital in order to establish standard guidelines for use of ETHACOTT®.
