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Antiseptic Stewardship pp 371–394Cite as

Didecyldimethylammonium Chloride

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Abstract

Didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC) is mostly bactericidal at 1% (1 min) and yeasticidal at 0.0076% (15 min). A mycobactericidal activity is variable. Epidemiological cut-off values to determine acquired resistance have not been proposed yet. Elevated MIC values suggestive of DDAC resistance have been reported among some species including P. aeruginosa (>1,000 mg/l), P. fluorescens (>250 mg/l), A. xylosoxidans (>50 mg/l) and P. cepacia (MBC of 20%). Specific resistance mechanisms are largely unknown; only in P. fluorescens, metabolization of DDAC has been described. Cross-tolerance to benzalkonium chloride and other biocidal agents can occur in E. coli and P. fluorescens. Occasional cross-resistance to selected antibiotics was found in C. coli, E. coli, L. monocytogenes and S. enterica. Low-level exposure leads to no MIC change in 23 species, a weak MIC change in 18 species and a strong MIC change in 6 species being stable only in P. aeruginosa and resulting in MIC values as high as >1,000 mg/l (P. aeruginosa), 125 mg/l (A. proteolyticus) or P. fluorescens (>50 mg/l). The effect of DDAC on biofilm formation, removal or fixation is unknown.

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  1. Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University of Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475, Greifswald, Germany

    Günter Kampf

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Kampf, G. (2018). Didecyldimethylammonium Chloride. In: Antiseptic Stewardship. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98785-9_11

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