HOSPITAL PREFERENCE AND EFFICACY OF PURIT® AND DETTOL® AS SCRUBBING AGENTS DURING SURGICAL PREPARATIONS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated preference for common hand scrubbing agents for peri-surgical uses in veterinary and human hospitals in Enugu State, Nigeria. It also evaluated their efficacies on common resident organisms in the hands of surgeons. Twenty hospitals, 14 human and 6 veterinary in Enugu and Nsukka urban of Enugu State were visited between June to July 2015 and data collected were used to select the test agents (Purit® and Dettol®). Twenty of the forty surgeons who consented to participate in the study were randomly selected and their hands were swabbed for culture to determine their common resident flora. A total of 40 moist swabs, 20 each were taken prior to and after hand scrubbing with each agent. Samples were cultured using appropriate media and colonies were identified and counted using standard methods. The results showed that Purit® had a higher Percentage (95%) uses whereas Dettol® had 60%. Two genera; Staphylococcus and Escherichia species were identified as common inhabitants found in the hands of the surgeons. The bacterial load on the hands of the surgeons reduced significantly post scrubbing. Efficacy based on the bacterial load counts showed no statistical difference (P <0.05) in the antibiogram of both Purit® and Dettol®. It is concluded that as the awareness on the usefulness of Purit® and Dettol® as peri-surgical antibiogram hand scrubbing agents are widely known both in human and veterinary hospitals, the emphasis should now be centered on their judicious application to avoid development of resistance