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Virologie

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Virucidal activity of antiseptics and chemical disinfectants used in the medical area Volume 3, issue 5, Septembre - Octobre 1999

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Antisepsis and chemical disinfection are being reinstated as measures to curtail the risks of nosocomial infection. Product use is a rational procedure based on national recommendations and good hygiene practice. The choice of commercial compounds is an essential stage in the setting-up of a quality system. Decision-makers need a thorough knowledge of the criteria required to establish virucidal efficacy, in order to critically assess manufacturers’ technical specifications and select the most appropriate product. This review considers the evolution of standard tests for basic virucidal activity and European regulations on disinfectants used in human medicine. It then analyses the factors affecting the chemical inactivation of viruses under laboratory and field conditions. The molecular mechanisms of action and the impact of viral variability are also discussed. Current test methods are reviewed and their limits and future prospects examined. Finally, the spectra of virucidal activity of the most common products are illustrated by reference to documented reports.