EFFECTS OF BIOCIDES ON THE TRANSDUCTION OF PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA PAOBY BACTERIOPHAGE-F116

The transduction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO by the F116 bacteriopha ge was monitored after phage treatment with seven biocides commonly us ed in disinfection processes. Ethanol (70% and 100%), isopropanol (100 %) and phenol (2%) did not affect the ability of the phage to transduc e. However, chlorhexidine diacetate (1%), cetylpyridinium chloride (0. 05%), glutaraldehyde (2%), peracetic acid (1%) and sodium hypochlorite (0.1%) significantly inhibited F116 transduction. The transduction pr ocess was more sensitive to biocides than the phage itself. Inactivati on of F116 and inhibition of the transduction process appeared to invo lve two distinct mechanisms implying that the process depends on cellu lar target sites not affected by some biocides.