Hospital Disinfectants Struggling to Kill C. diff Bacteria

Biofilms are slime-like communities of organisms that can become embedded onto a surface. These communities provide a defence mechanism against the application of a disinfectant and pose a risk on medical devices. The centre of a biofilm is often anaerobic, which creates optimal conditions for C. diff. The researchers found that disinfectants with the trade-names Clorox, Cidex OPA, and Virex branded disinfectants were most effective at killing C. diff spores. However, each disinfectant had limitations.