Open AccessUse of Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor for Deactivation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a Biological Safety Cabinet and a Room
Author(s) -
Leslie Hall,
Jonathan A. Otter,
John Chewins,
Nancy L. Wengenack
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of clinical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.349
H-Index - 255
eISSN - 1070-633X
pISSN - 0095-1137
DOI - 10.1128/jcm.01797-06
Subject(s) - tuberculosis , mycobacterium tuberculosis , hydrogen peroxide , human decontamination , microbiology and biotechnology , geobacillus stearothermophilus , mycobacterium tuberculosis complex , formaldehyde , contamination , chemistry , medicine , food science , biology , pathology , organic chemistry , thermophile , ecology , enzyme
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an important human pathogen that is routinely cultured in clinical and research laboratories.M. tuberculosis can contaminate surfaces and is highly resistant to disinfection. We investigated whether hydrogen peroxide vapor (HPV) is effective for the deactivation ofM. tuberculosis on experimentally contaminated surfaces in a biological safety cabinet (BSC) and a room. Biological indicators (BIs) consisting of an ∼3-log10 inoculum ofM. tuberculosis on stainless steel discs and a 6-log10 inoculum ofGeobacillus stearothermophilus were exposed to HPV in BSC time course experiments and at 10 locations during room experiments. In three separate BSC experiments,M. tuberculosis BIs were transferred to growth media at 15-min intervals during a 180-min HPV exposure period. NoM. tuberculosis BIs grew following 30 min of HPV exposure. In three separate room experiments,M. tuberculosis andG. stearothermophilus BIs were exposed to HPV for 90, 120, and 150 min, respectively. BIs for both microorganisms were deactivated in all 10 locations following 90 min of HPV exposure. HPV provides an alternative to traditional decontamination methods, such as formaldehyde fumigation, for laboratories and other areas contaminated withM. tuberculosis .