Disinfection and Sterilization Flashcards
Who was the father of the antiseptic technique?
Joseph Lister, he used carbolic acid to clean surgical site
Who was the first to use heat sterilization?
Ernst von Bergmann used boiling water to clean
Who invented the first design for an autoclave?
Robert Koch invented steam sterilization
Who was the first person to use surgical gloves for procedures?
William Stewart Halstead
What is asepsis?
Freedom from infection
What is antimicrobial?
A substance that is destructive to SOME microorganisms
What are some things that an antimicrobial will not kill?
Tuberculosis and spore forming bacteria
What is a cleaning agent?
A chemical that when used in conjunction with some form of agitation will aid the removal of soil
What is bacteriostat?
It inhibits the growth of bacteria but does not necessarily kill them
What is decontamination?
Total process of removing contaminants from surfaces in laboratory animal research areas
What is a sanitizer?
It reduces vegetative (actual growing) bacteria by 99.9% to 99.999%
What is a disinfectant?
It destroys 100% of the vegatative bacteria (of certain species) under specified test conditions, and should not be used on skin
What are some things that disinfectants do not include efficacy against?
- Fungi
- Viruses
- Tuberculosis
- Bacterial spores
What is an antiseptic
A substance that destroys most microorganisms and can be used on the skin
What are some things to consider when choosing a disinfectant?
- Non-staining, non-toxic, non-irritating to people and animals
- Readily mixes with water and rinses off surfaces easily
- Rapid and broad spectrum kill of the organisms
How does chlorine and chlorine compound halogens work?
By forming hydrochloric acid and is very effective and relatively inexpensive
What are some cons of chlorine and chlorine compound halogens like bleach?
- It has a corrosive effect on certain metals, concrete and clothing
- Can pose problems for animals and personnel
Which antiseptic is one of the oldest and most effective?
Iodine and it can kill many kinds of microorganisms
What is an iodophor?
A combination of iodine and carrier molecules with prolonged antimicrobial material
What is iodophors most effective against?
Bacterial spores but the solution must remain moist and in contact with the sire for more than 15 minutes
What are iodophors mainly used for?
Surgical skin scrub
Does alcohol kill bacterial spores?
No, it is a bactericidal for vegetative cells and is active against enveloped and non-enveloped viruses
What are phenol and phenolic compounds used for?
They are good broad spectrum disinfectants that can kill both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses
What are some things to be cautious of with phenol and phenolic compounds?
- Extremely corrosive and require exceptional precautions in handling
- Hazardous to cats
- Can depigment skin and pose problems to healthWha
What are some advantages of formaldehyde?
- Broad spectrum of activity
- Rapid action
- Sporicidal at high concentrations
What are some disadvantages of formaldehyde?
- Temperature and humidity and dependent
- Toxic
- Carcinogenic
Which cleaner is most effective against gram +/- bacteria?
Quaternary ammonium compounds
What is sterilization?
Complete destruction of living organisms
What is physical sterilization?
- Filtration
- Radiation
- Thermal energy
What is chemical sterilization?
Ethylene oxide
What is autoclave sterilization?
Thermal sterilization saturated steam under pressure
What are the recommended time and temperature for autoclave sterilization?
-121 C, or 250 F for 13 minutes
What is the recommended time and temperature for flash sterilization?
131 C or 270 F for 3 minutes
