No abstract

SUMMARYRecent reports of the isolation of microorganisms from used soap bars have raised the concern that bacteria may be transferred from contaminated soap bars during handwashing. Since only one study addressing this question has been published, we developed an additional procedure to test this concern. In our new method prewashed and softened commercial deodorant soap bars (08 % triclocarban) not active against Gram-negative bacteria were inoculated with Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to give mean total survival levels of 4-4 x 105 c.f.u. per bar which was 70-fold higher than those reported on used soap bars. Sixteen panelists were instructed to wash with the inoculated bars using their normal handwashing procedure. After washing, none of the 16 panelists had detectable levels of either test bacterium on their hands. Thus, the results obtained using our new method were in complete agreement with those obtained with the previously published method even though the two methods differ in a number of procedural aspects. These findings, along with other published reports, show that little hazard exists in routine handwashing with previously used soap bars and support the frequent use of soap and water for handwashing to prevent the spread of disease.

No abstract

The antibacterial activity of a variety of haloand nitrosalicylanilides is well documented.1 Many of these compounds possess good bacteriostatic activity and also are substantive to skin and cloth. We wish to report

Two antibacterial soaps and an antibacterial detergent were examined for their effectiveness in inhibiting the growth of a large number of bacteria. All products were markedly superior in this regard to a nonmedicated soap. A soap containing equal parts by weight of hexachlorophene and 3,4,4′‐trichlorocarbanilide was more effective than a detergent containing hexachlorophene only and a soap containing a mixture of equal parts by weight of 3,4′,5‐tribromosalicylanilide, 3,4,4′‐trichlorocarbanilide, and 4,4′‐dichloro‐3‐(trifluoromethyl) carbanilide. A total of 27 bacteria, including 12 pathogens, was used.