Final answer:
High-level germicides can lead to sterilization, while low-level germicides are effective against vegetative cells and some enveloped viruses, not endospores. Antiviral drugs, interferons, and cytotoxic T cells play roles in preventing viral takeover of host cells. Factors like disinfectant concentration and exposure time are critical in selecting an effective disinfectant.
Step-by-step explanation:
Disinfectants are important for stopping the takeover of host cells' reproductive functions by microbes, particularly viruses. Different levels of germicides are identified: high-level germicides that can lead to sterilization by killing a wide spectrum of microbes, intermediate-level germicides that are less effective against certain viruses and endospores, and low-level germicides that are effective against vegetative cells and some enveloped viruses but are not effective against endospores.
For treating viral infections, substances like interferons may slow down viral replication and cytotoxic T cells can kill infected cells, preventing viruses from completing their replicative cycles. Antiviral drugs can be used to inhibit viral proteins necessary for viral replication. Commonly used alcohol-based disinfectants, like ethanol and isopropanol, denature proteins and disrupt membranes leading to cell lysis, although they work better in aqueous solutions than in pure forms, as pure alcohols cause rapid coagulation which impedes effective cellular penetration.
When selecting a disinfectant to stop the viral takeover of host cell reproduction, it is important to consider the disinfectant's efficacy against the specific type of virus, as well as factors such as the concentration of the disinfectant, exposure time, and the presence of any organic material that might interfere with the disinfectant's action.