Bactericidal Effect of Ethanol on Bacteria Adhering to Bedsheets and Verification of Residual Bacteria

<p>This study examines the efficacy of different sanitization methods on bedsheets that are conventionally considered useful against environmental bacteria in hospitals. The study was conducted as a randomized controlled trial using the counterbalance method. Sterilization effect was examined in four groups: ethanol sheet cleaning and ethanol spray group, disinfectant ethanol spray group, commercial germicidal spray group, and control group. Beds in a clinical practice room were randomly selected, and the effect of each intervention on the removal of bacteria from the beds was examined. The detected number of bacteria decreased significantly more in the ethanol sheet cleaning and ethanol spraying group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). A significant reduction in the number of detected bacteria was also observed in the disinfectant ethanol spray group and commercial germicidal spray group. Gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, glucose-nonfermenting gram-negative rods, and fungi were detected in the control group. In contrast, in the ethanol sheet cleaning and ethanol spray group, only Staphylococcus hominis was detected. In the ethanol spray group, Micrococcus luteus, gram-positive coccus, Bacillus subtilis, amyloliquefaciens, and gram-positive bacillus were detected. In the commercial germicidal spray group, Micrococcus luteus, Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis, Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, Penicillium decumbens, and gram-positive coccus were detected. Thus, these results reveal that all sanitization methods that are conventionally considered useful are effective in terms of removing bacteria present on bedsheets. These findings suggest that patients with weakened immunity should use thoroughly sterilized bedsheets and sterilization is required after high-frequency contacts because bacteria left after each intervention are capable of causing opportunistic infections.</p>