Efficacy of Disinfectants Commonly used in some Medical Facilities in Kumasi, Ghana

Mark  Boata; Raphael  Johnson; Yaa  Asantewaa Osei; Yaw  Duah Boakye; Francis Kwaku Amankwah; Frederick William Akuffo Owusu; Stephen  Yao Gbedema

doi:10.4314/just.v41i1.1468

Mr. Mark Boata Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6456-1013
Dr. Raphael Johnson the Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4829-2447
Dr. (Mrs.) Yaa Asantewaa Osei Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2706-7099
Dr Yaw Duah Boakye Department of Pharmaceutics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2134-0034
Mr. Francis Kwaku Amankwah Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6553-5861
Dr Frederick William Akuffo Owusu Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2674-6217
Prof. Stephen Yao Gbedema Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7749-6425

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/just.v41i1.1468

Keywords: Disinfectants, Hospital-acquired infections, antimicrobial resistance

Abstract

Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are known to be responsible for prolonging hospital admissions and increasing mortality rates worldwide. Disinfectants are used to clean surfaces to reduce the risk of transmission of pathogens responsible for HAI in medical facilities. This study sought to determine the efficacy of disinfectants prepared and used in some medical facilities in the Kumasi metropolis. Forty-two disinfectants were sampled from the sanitary departments of fourteen health facilities selected in the Kumasi Metropolis. The antimicrobial activity of the selected disinfectants was evaluated on test microorganisms using the Agar well diffusion method and Chick martin tests. All 42 disinfectants sampled from the health facilities were identified to be different brands and concentrations of sodium hypochlorite solution. At the stated concentrations of dilution (1.2 -1.8 % v/v) of use, none of the 42 disinfectants showed any zone of inhibition against the test organisms (E. faecalis, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. typhi, and C. albicans) used. The study revealed that the concentration of sodium hypochlorite was lower than what was stated on the manufacturer’s label. However, the prepared concentrations (between 2.0 and 6.0 % v/v) of the disinfectants showed antimicrobial activity against the test organisms. The study has shown that at the stated concentrations of use in various health facilities, the selected disinfectants did not display any antimicrobial activity against the test organisms and therefore cannot prevent the transmission of HAI in the medical facilities. At the stated concentration, thick perfumed and Madar bleach produced better antimicrobial activity. Higher concentrations prepared of at least 2.0 % v/v of selected disinfectants are recommended to achieve effective disinfection in health facilities.

Author Biographies

Mr. Mark Boata, Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Mark Boata holds a Mphil in Pharmaceutics. His research interest lies in the discovery of novel compounds from natural sources to combat various disease conditions. He is also keen on carrying out research in the formulation of antimicrobial agents into standard dosage forms.

Dr. Raphael Johnson, the Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

Raphael Johnson is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. His research interest is in the formulation and bioavailability assessment of poorly soluble conventional drugs and medicinal plants. He researches also the quality and safety assessment of Pharmaceutical and herbal dosage forms as well as cosmetics (Pharmacovigilance). He identifies and evaluates pharmaceutical excipients from natural sources.

Dr. (Mrs.) Yaa Asantewaa Osei, Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

Yaa Asantewaa Osei, PhD is a registered Pharmacist and a lecturer at the Department of Pharmaceutics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. She specializes in formulation development (conventional and advanced), excipient development, and pharmacovigilance (post-market surveillance activities). Her desire to see a lot of research uptake has led to the finding of alternative cheaper locally sourced raw materials for their pharmaceutical industries. Dr Osei has extensive experience with formulation design and development and she currently heads the production unit of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at her University.

Dr Yaw Duah Boakye, Department of Pharmaceutics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi

Dr Yaw Duah Boakye obtained his PhD and Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) degrees from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. He was a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Vienna, Austria. He was appointed a Lecturer at KNUST in 2018 and is currently a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pharmaceutics. He is also a researcher with an interest in areas search as the search for antimicrobial, wound healing, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents from medicinal plants and natural products. He also researches antibiotic resistance in animals and humans. He is a member of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research [Gesellschaft für Arzneipflanzen- und Naturstoff-Forschung e.V. (GA)], an internationally recognized scientific research society. He is also a pharmacist and a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGh).

Mr. Francis Kwaku Amankwah, Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

Francis Kwaku Dzideh Amankwah holds an Mphil in Pharmaceutical Microbiology and has a keen interest in anti-infectives from natural sources and antibiotic resistance properties of herbs.

Dr Frederick William Akuffo Owusu, Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

Dr Frederick William Akuffo Owusu is a faculty member at the Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KNUST. Frederick loves to carry out research and impart his knowledge and experiences gained to others. Dr Owusu is a registered pharmacist with an MPhil and PhD in Pharmaceutics and a Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. His research interests in Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology include drug formulation and quality control, the use of local excipients and natural polymers in drug formulation.

Prof. Stephen Yao Gbedema , Department of Pharmaceutics at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

Prof. Stephen Yao Gbedema is a registered pharmacist and a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. He holds a PhD degree in Pharmaceutical Microbiology with a specialization in antimalarial phytomedicines. He is an Associate Professor and the current Head of the KNUST Department of Pharmaceutics. He has enormous experience in teaching and research in the pharmaceutical microbiology discipline. His research interests include microbiological quality assessment of drugs and herbal products, sterile products manufacture, anti-infectives from natural sources, and antibiotic resistance modulation and immune stimulation properties of herbs.