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Table 4 Reduction in viability of S. aureus still present on outer shell fabrics after washing with sanitizer

From: Survival of Staphylococcus aureus on the outer shell of fire fighter turnout gear after sanitation in a commercial washer/extractor

Duration of vortexing in water or sanitizer

Swatch type

Exp. no.

Inoculum (CFU/ Swatch)

Recovery of viable cells from water washed swatch (CFU /aSD)

Recovery of viable cells from sanitizer washed swatch (CFU /aSD)

Percent reduction

10 Seconds (Carrier Count Control)

Gemini™

1

1.7 × 107

2.5 × 105 /1.5 × 105

1.4 × 105 /1.8 × 105

46

Gemini™

2

1.9 × 107

8.1 × 105 /3.8 × 105

1.8 × 105 /1.6 × 105

77

Gemini™

3

3.7 × 107

5.1 × 104 /1.2 × 104

6.6 × 103 /1.4 × 103

87

Gemini™

4

3.4 × 107

1.9 × 105 /1.2 × 105

3.5 × 104 /1.7 × 104

82

Advance™

1

2.5 × 107

4.3 × 104 /1.2 × 104

1.7 × 102 /1.1 × 102

99.6

Advance™

2

2.5 × 107

4.3 × 104 /6.5 × 103

4.7 × 102 /9.7 × 101

98.9

Pioneer™

1

2.4 × 107

4.0 × 105 /4.8 × 104

1.1 × 101 /1.3 × 101

100

Cotton

1

2.4 × 107

1.5 × 106 /5.8 × 104

2.3 × 102 /3.2 × 102

99.9

10 Minutes (Carrier Count Control)

Gemini™

1

3.3 × 107

3.2 × 105 /2.6 × 105

1.2 × 105 /7.3 × 104

63

Gemini™

2

1.4 × 107

9.0 × 105 /3.1 × 104

9.1 × 103 /4.3 × 103

99

Gemini™

3

3.5 × 107

1.6 × 106 /7.9 × 105

7.9 × 105 /8.4 × 105

51

Gemini™

4

3.0 × 107

4.8 × 106 /9.2 × 105

1.9 × 106 /1.6 × 106

61

Advance™

1

2.1 × 107

4.3 × 104 /1.4 × 105

1.9 × 102 /7.7 × 102

99.5

Advance™

2

2.5 × 107

4.3 × 104 /1.7 × 104

2.1 × 103 /5.8 × 102

95

Pioneer™

1

3.9 × 107

8.2 × 104 /3.2 × 104

0

100

Cotton

1

2.2 × 107

1.2 × 106 /4.8 × 105

0

100

Washer/Extractor

Swatch type

Exp. no.

Inoculum (CFU/ Swatch)

Recovery of viable cells from unwashed swatch (CFU /aSD)

Recovery of viable cells from sanitizer washed swatch (CFU /aSD)

Percent reduction

Test 1

Gemini™

1

2.9 × 107

1.6 × 106 /5.7 × 105

4.2 × 103 /1.4 × 103

99.7

Test 2

Pioneer™

1

2.9 × 107

1.3 × 106 /5.8 × 105

0

100

  1. Carrier count swatches were vortex-washed for 10 s or 10 min, and then incubated in DEB for 5 h to elute remaining cells
  2. All carrier count experiments are average of 3 replicate swatches per experiment
  3. Washer/extractor test of S. aureus inoculated Gemini swatches are average of 4 swatches pinned to two turnout gear jackets
  4. Washer/extractor test of S. aureus inoculated Pioneer swatches are average of 3 swatches pinned to two turnout gear jackets
  5. aSD standard deviation