Sporicidal Effects of Wiping with Sodium Hypochlorite on Clostridium difficile

Abstract

  We evaluated the disinfectant activity of sodium hypochlorite on Clostridium difficile spores attached to four types of test material (melamine resin, ceramic tile, polypropylene, and stainless steel). In the absence of albumin, the sporicidal effects of wiping with 0.02–0.05% (200–500 ppm) solutions were weak, but spores were killed within 30 min after wiping with 0.1% solution (1,000 ppm) and within 5 min after wiping with 0.5% (5,000 ppm) solution. In the presence of 0.1% albumin, spores were killed within 60 min after wiping with 0.1% solution and within 5 min after wiping with 0.5% solution. Wiping with 0.1–0.5% sodium hypochlorite is therefore effective for disinfecting environments contaminated with C. difficile spores.