Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008
Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008 [PDF - 948 KB]
Figure 1. Decreasing order of resistance of microorganisms to disinfection and sterilization and the level of disinfection or sterilization.
| Resistant | Level |
|---|---|
| | Prions (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) |
Prion reprocessing |
| | |
|
| | Bacterial spores (Bacillus atrophaeus) | Sterilization |
| | | |
| | Coccidia (Cryptosporidium) | |
| | | |
| | Mycobacteria (M. tuberculosis, M. terrae) | High |
| | | |
| | Nonlipid or small viruses (polio, coxsackie) | Intermediate |
| | | |
| | Fungi (Aspergillus, Candida) | |
| | | |
| | Vegetative bacteria (S. aureus, P. aeruginosa) | Low |
| | | |
| ↓ Lipid or medium-sized viruses (HIV, herpes, hepatitis B) | |
| Susceptible | |
Modified from Russell and Favero 13, 344.
