Question

Proper cleaning is an effective way to break the chain of infection. Select the cleaning process that matches each description below: a solution applied to skin that kills some organisms or prevents their growth, a technique that destroys all organisms on an item, a process that removes some, but not all, pathogens from equipment. Which of the following is the most effective type of cleaning for surfaces and items?

1) Disinfection
2) Sterilization
3) Sanitization
4) Antiseptic

Answer 1

Disinfection is the process of inactivating most microbes, sterilization destroys all organisms, and sanitization removes some pathogens.

Step-by-step explanation:

Disinfection is the cleaning process that inactivates most microbes on the surface of a fomite using antimicrobial chemicals or heat. However, some microbes may remain after disinfection, so the item is not considered sterile.

On the other hand, sterilization is a technique that destroys all organisms on an item, including vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses. Sterilization protocols are generally used in laboratory, medical, manufacturing, and food industry settings when complete removal of potentially infectious agents is necessary.

Sanitization is a process that removes some, but not all, pathogens from equipment. It aims to achieve levels of microbial reduction that are deemed safe for public health.

The most effective type of cleaning for surfaces and items is sterilization.

Sterilization is the most extreme protocol, as it aims for the complete removal or killing of all vegetative cells, endospores, and viruses from the targeted item. Disinfection inactivates most microbes on the surface but does not guarantee sterility, as endospores can survive. Finally, sanitization reduces microbes to safe levels for public health.