Sterilization and disinfection

STERILIZATION AND DISINFECTION
  • Sterilization is the removal of all living organisms including viable spores.
  • Disinfection is the destruction of all vegetative organisms only.
  • Antisepsis – This term is specifically used for treatment of wounds. This refers to the clinical disinfection of skin, mucous membrane and other living tissues.
  • Germicide – It is a chemical that kills the vegetative cells but not necessarily the endospores.
  • Bacteriostasis – It is a condition in which bacterial growth and multiplication are inhibited but the organisms are viable.
  • Degerming – The removal of transient microbes from the skin with the use of antiseptic.
  • Sanitization – It is the reduction of pathogens by mechanical cleaning or by using chemicals.
  • Microbial growth can be controlled by physical and chemical methods. The physical methods that are normally used to control microbial growth are different forms of heat, radiation, filtration, alteration of osmosis and desiccation.

Mechanism

  • Heat – Heat causes death of bacteria by denaturing the protein.
  • Filtration – It separates the organisms from the suspending fluid.
  • Desiccation – Disrupts the metabolic pathway.
  • Osmotic pressure – Plasmolysis
  • Radiation – Two forms of radiation used – ionizing and non ionizing. The ionizing radiation destroys DNA where as the non ionizing radiation damages the DNA.
Last modified: Sunday, 4 December 2011, 7:15 AM