Influence of possible disinfectant transfer on Staphylococcus aureus plate counts after agar contact sampling.

Asbestos-vinyl tile floor panels were mopped with three types of chemical disinfectant product, as well as after contact, with the untreated control panel were prepared according to the manufacturer's label instructions. Similar floor panels were inoculated artificially with Staphylococcus aureus. RODAC (replicate organism detection and counting) surface sampling plates were pressed to the disinfectant-treated panels or to the untreated control panel and then immediately pressed to sampling sites on the artificially inoculated floor panels. Plate counts were determined after contact with panels treated with each type of disinfectant, product, as well as after contact with the untreated control panel. Results indicate that disinfectant residues on environmental surfaces do not alter the average plate counts obtained by RODAC samplings.