Abstract
From two orthopaedic theatres at Pretoria Academic Hospital 28 samples were randomly selected, including Hibiscrub soap dispensers and both fully-sealed and partially-used bottles of iodine/alcohol, Hibitane/alcohol and Hibitane/water. Samples were taken from the solutions and the bottlenecks and basic microbiological cultures were done. Only the Hibitane/water bottles yielded positive cultures, with Bacillus species cultured from three out of four.
We concluded from this small random study that with the exception of Hibitane/water mixtures it should be safe to use the same bottle of solution in different cases.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor M. B. E. Sweet. Correspondence should be addressed to him at PO Box 47363, Parklands, Johannesburg 2121, South Africa.
