Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008
Guideline for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008 [PDF - 948 KB]
Table 2. Properties of an ideal disinfectant. |
|
|---|---|
| Broad spectrum: | should have a wide antimicrobial spectrum |
| Fast acting: | should produce a rapid kill |
| Not affected by environmental factors: | should be active in the presence of organic matter (e.g., blood, sputum, feces) and compatible with soaps, detergents, and other chemicals encountered in use |
| Nontoxic: | should not be harmful to the user or patient |
| Surface compatibility: | should not corrode instruments and metallic surfaces and should not cause the deterioration of cloth, rubber, plastics, and other materials |
| Residual effect on treated surfaces: | should leave an antimicrobial film on the treated surface Easy to use with clear label directions |
| Odorless: | should have a pleasant odor or no odor to facilitate its routine use |
| Economical: | should not be prohibitively high in cost |
| Solubility: | should be soluble in water |
| Stability: | should be stable in concentrate and use-dilution |
| Cleaner: | should have good cleaning properties |
| Environmentally friendly: | should not damage the environment on disposal |
| Modified from Molinari1035. | |
Table 3. Epidemiologic evidence associated with the use of surface disinfectants or detergents on noncritical environmental surfaces.
Justification for Use of Disinfectants for Noncritical Environmental Surfaces |
|---|
| Surfaces may contribute to transmission of epidemiologically important microbes (e.g., vancomycin-resistant Enterococci, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, viruses) |
| Disinfectants are needed for surfaces contaminated by blood and other potentially infective material |
| Disinfectants are more effective than detergents in reducing microbial load on floors |
| Detergents become contaminated and result in seeding the patient's environment with bacteria |
| Disinfection of noncritical equipment and surfaces is recommended for patients on isolation precautions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. |
| Advantage of using a single product for decontamination of noncritical surfaces, both floors and equipment |
| Some newer disinfectants have persistent antimicrobial activity |
Justification for Using a Detergent on Noncritical Environmental Surfaces |
| Noncritical surfaces contribute minimally to endemic healthcare-associated infections |
| No difference in healthcare-associated infection rates when floors are cleaned with detergent versus disinfectant |
| No environmental impact (aquatic or terrestrial) issues with disposal |
| No occupational health exposure issues |
| Lower costs |
| Use of antiseptics/disinfectants selects for antibiotic-resistant bacteria (?) |
| More aesthetically pleasing floor |
| Modified from Rutala378. |
