Disinfectants: Practices and Background Knowledge

Abstract

Appropriate use of disinfectants is crucial for controlling infections. The three key factors that influence the efficacy of disinfection are "concentration", "temperature", and "time". Spaulding's Classification of Medical Devices categorizes medical devices into three classes: critical, semicritical or noncritical, based on the risk of infection associated with their use. Disinfectants are classified as high, intermediate, or low-level, according to their toxicity and antimicrobial spectrum. To achieve optimal disinfection practices, medical staff need to understand the characteristics of disinfectants and the devices being disinfected, and to use disinfectants after considering the three key factors. To ensure the appropriate use of disinfectant, ICT staff should check especially on the following topics: waterless antiseptic agents; differences between handwashing and antiseptic hand rub; disinfectant spraying; disinfection of enteral feeding sets; antiseptics for the prevention of catheter-related bloodstream infections; and antiseptics to prevent contamination of blood culture specimens.