DISINFECTION
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Definitions
1. Disinfectant: Usually a chemical agent that
destroys disease causing pathogens or other
harmful microorganism, but might not kill
bacterial spores.
2. Disinfection: Thermal or chemical destruction
of pathogen and other types of microorganisms.
It is lethal than sterilization because it destroys
most recognized pathogenic microorganisms
but not necessarily all microbial forms.
Properties of an ideal disinfectant
1. Broad spectrum
2. Fasting acting
3. Not affected by environmental factors
4. Nontoxic
5. Surface compatibility
6. Residual effect in treated surfaces
7. Easy to use with clear label directions
8. Odourless
9. Economical
10. Solubility
11. Stability
12. Cleaner
13. Environmentally friendly
Types of disinfection:
a. Concurrent disinfection
b. Terminal disinfection
c. Precurrent disinfection
Natural agents
1. Sunlight
2. Air
Physical agents
1. Burning
2. Hot air
3. Boiling
4. Autoclaving
5. Radiation
Chemical Agents
1. Phenol and related compounds:
a. Phenol
b. Crude phenol: 5% in floors and drains
c. Cresol: coal-tar 3-10times of phenol, 5-10 % faecus
and urine
d. Cresol emulsions:50-60% cresol
e. Chlorhexidine: 0.5% alcoholic hand lotions, cream and
lotions contains 1%
f. Hexachlorphane: soaps preparation
g. Dettol: 5% for instruments and plastic equipment
Cont…
2. Quaternary ammonia compounds:
a. cetrimide: Cetavlon 1-2 % strength.
b. Salvon: combination of Cetavlon and Hibitane, 1:6
for instruments.
3. Halogens and their compounds:
c. Chlorine and chlorine compounds:
1. Bleaching powder: 1:3 %
2. Hypochlorites: 5.25 to 6.25 % of sodium
hypochloride usually called as households bleach.
3. Chlorine tablets
b. Iodine: Betadine or Povidone-iodine
Cont…
4. Alcohols: Ethyl and isopropyl alcohols are
commonly used as antiseptics and disinfection,
but it does not destroy bacteria spores.
5. Formaldehyde: formalin is highly toxic and
irritant gas which precipitates and destroys
protein. 2-3% solution for spraying rooms,walls
& furniture.
6. Oxidizing agents:
a. Potassium permanganate: swimming pools &
aquarium, fruits and vegetables
Cont…
b. Hydrogen peroxide: 3% for cleaning wounds
and discharging ulcers, 0.5% accelerated HP
demonstrated bactericidal and virucidal activity
in 1min and mycobacterial and fungal activity in
5min.
C. Paracetic acid: it inactivate gram+ve and
gram-ve bacteria in <5minutes.
7. Metals as microbicides: heavy metals such as
silver have been for prophylaxis of conjunctivitis
of the new-born.
Cont…
8. Lime: it is cheapest of all disinfectants. 10-
20% aqueous suspension of lime and allowing
the disinfectant to act for 2hrs, using for public
places where urinals and latrines are located.
9. Ethylene oxide: Heat-sensitive articles may be
sterilized at 55-600C which kill bacteria, spores
and also viruses. It is explosive i.e it is mixed
with CO2(12%). It is used to sterilize fabrics,
plastic equipment's, cardiac catheters, books
etc..
Cont…
10. Miscellaneous inactivating agents:
a. Pasteurization
b. Microwave:2450 MHz, 60sec to 5min.
c. Flushing and washer disinfectors:
d. Ultraviolet radiation: ranges from 328nm to
210nm.
e. Ozone: used for drinking water disinfectant.
Factors affecting the efficacy of sterilization
[Link]: Factors Effect
1. Cleaning Failure to adequately clean instruments results in
higher bioburden, protein load.
2. Pathogen type Spore-forming organisms are most resistant to
sterilization
3. Biofilm accumulation Biofilm accumulation reduces efficacy
4. Luman length and Increasing lumen length and decreasing lumen
diameter diameter impairs sterilant penetration
5. Restricted flow It must come into contact with microorgansms
(sharps bends, blind lumens)
6. Device design and Materials used in construction may affect
construction compatibility
Recommended Disinfection Procedures
1. Faeces and Urine:
Disinfection Amount per litre Percent
1. Bleaching 50gm 5
powder
2. Crude phenol 100ml 10
3. Cresol 50ml 5
4. Formalin 100ml 10
2. Sputum:
3. Room:
