Figure 2.

Clostridium difficile spores on hospital surfaces are reduced by sensitizing with germinants in a quaternary ammonium matrix. Seven log₁₀ colony-forming units (CFUs) of C difficile (American Type Culture Collection [ATCC] 43598) applied to common hospital surfaces were inoculated with 30 µL of either water, quaternary ammonium, germinants, or quaternary ammonium containing germinants and allowed to air dry. Swabs were used to recover spores immediately (T = 0), 2 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days after treatment. Log₁₀ CFU reduction was determined by comparing recovery of spores from swabs after treatment and recovery of spores from swabs processed immediately (T = 0). The means of data from triplicate experiments are presented. Error bars indicate standard error.