Comparison of a solution of super-oxidized water (Sterilox) with glutaraldehyde for the disinfection of bronchoscopes, contaminated.

The efficacy of Sterilox, a super-oxidized water holding a reduction/oxidation potential of greater than 950 mV was compared with the efficacy of glutaraldehyde against clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare. An in use method using an automated bronchoscope washing machine demonstrated that over five cycles, Sterilox with a contact time of 5 min gave log10 reduction factors for M. tuberculosis and M. avium-intracellulare of >6 and >5, respectively. Glutaraldehyde with a contact time of 10 min gave log10 reduction factors for both M. tuberculosis and M. avium-intracellulare of >4, and at a contact time of 20 min >5 each. The non-toxic nature of Sterilox, together with the reduction in viable counts demonstrated in this study, suggest that the solution is an effective alternative mycobactericidal agent to the established disinfectants for the disinfection of bronchoscopes and, therefore, justifies further investigation.