Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology Medknow Publications on behalf of Indian Association of Medical Microbiology ISSN: 0255-0857 EISSN: 1998-3646 Vol. 25, Num. 4, 2007, pp. 428-429

Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol. 25, No. 4, October-December, 2007, pp. 428-429

Correspondence

Microwave disinfection of gauze contaminated with bacteria and fungi

Cardoso VH, Goncalves DL, Angioletto E, Dal-Pizzol F, Streck EL

Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology, University of the Far South Catarinense, 88806 . 000, Criciúma, SC

Correspondence Address: Laboratory of Experimental Pathophysiology (VHC, FDP, ELS), University of the Far South Catarinense, 88806 - 000 Criciúma, SC, Brazil; Laboratory and Development of Antimicrobial Biomateriais and Materials (DLG, EA), University of the Far South Catarinense, 88806 - 000 Criciúma, SC, Brazil. Email: emiliostreck@terra.com.br.

Date of Submission: 24-Apr-2007
Date of Acceptance: 03-May-2007

Code Number: mb07122

Dear Editor,

Commercial radiation has been used to sterilize medical products for more than 40 years. ^[1],[2] Evidence from the literature clearly demonstrates that domestic microwave energy can be used for sterilization. ^[3],[4],[5] The equipment in routine use for the sterilization of surgical materials is moist heat sterilizer, i.e., autoclave. The main purpose for using microwave for sterilization is to save time. In this study, we verified whether microwave energy is able to disinfect gauze pieces colonized with Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 or Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and compared this method to autoclave.

The microorganism concentration was adjusted to 0.5 in McFarland opacity scale. This solution was added to gauze pieces and submitted to microwave oven treatment at 1000 W from 10 to 60 seconds. Control samples were not submitted to this treatment. The gauze pieces were then inoculated in blood agar or brain heart infusion medium and incubated at 37 °C for 24 hours. Our results showed that exposure to microwave energy for 30 seconds was able to inhibit the growth of microorganisms [Figure - 1]. When compared to humid heat sterilizer (temperature of 121 °C at 1.1 atmospheric pressure for a minimum of 20-30 minutes), similar results were found (data not shown).

In this work, we demonstrated that a domestic microwave oven could disinfect gauze pieces colonized with microorganisms. The material may be disinfected with exposure to microwave energy at 1000 W for 30 seconds.

References

Copyright 2007 - Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology

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