Bactericidal activity of wet cerumen.

The viable populations of seven species of bacteria were reduced 17% to 99% by treatment with a 3% suspension of human cerumen of the soft or "wet" type. Species tested for susceptibility to cerumen were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphlylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Propionibacterium acnes, Corynebacterium spp, Escherichia coli, and Serratia marcescens. The reduction depended upon the species of bacterium and the age of the culture. Pathogenic species appeared to be more susceptible than others, while cultures in logarithmic growth were more susceptible than stationary phase cultures to the bactericidal activity of wet cerumen. There appeared to be little difference in the bactericidal activity between the two lots of cerumen used. The bactericidal activity of wet cerumen was found to be quite similar to that of dry cerumen as reported earlier in the literature.