Decrease of microbial contamination by application of routinely glycerol and phenol solution on human cadavers

Abstract

Human cadaver is imperative learning material for medical students. The cadavers expose to microbial contamination every time anatomists work with them. The microorganisms found in preparations’ cadavers could be pathogenic. Although the cadaver has supported a preservation method but does not inhibit microbial germination. The purposes of this study were evaluation the use of the routine solution to decrease potential contamination.  Samples were collected air dissection hall and cadavers' sections after drying the cadavers, and after use of routinely glycerin and phenol solution (1.5 g phenol in 100 cc glycerol), inoculated on eosin methylene blue agar (EMB), blood agar (BA), Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), and SDA with the addition of chloramphenicol (50 mg/l in ethanol solution) (SC), in a Petri dish and incubated at 25 °C and 37 °C. After 3-5 days, the morphology was studied macroscopically and microscopically. We found Sporothrix schenckii; Streptomyces, Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus flavus, Geotrichum candidum, on the samples of dryness cadavers and air dissection hall, respectively. But fungus and bacteria contamination was decreased after the use of glycerin and phenol solution. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that glycerol and phenol solution can be used at least once a week to reduce microbial contamination and prevent the spread of the disease from the cadavers to students and professors.