Final answer:
High-level disinfectants for endoscopes include glutaraldehyde, o-phthalaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and peracetic acid. Following CRE outbreaks, the FDA and healthcare institutions have enhanced disinfection protocols for these instruments to ensure safety.
Step-by-step explanation:
The high-level disinfectants used for immersible items such as flexible and rigid endoscopes include glutaraldehyde, o-phthalaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid, and a mix of hydrogen peroxide with peracetic acid. Despite the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) initial approval, incidents such as Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) outbreaks have prompted more rigorous cleaning measures and updated protocols for these devices. Hospitals and manufacturers are working to enhance the safety of these instruments in response to such outbreaks.
Iodine is another halogen widely used as a disinfectant, often in the form of povidone-iodine, and is utilized for preoperative hand scrubbing and patient skin antisepsis. However, for ensuring high-level disinfection of endoscopes, more robust chemical agents are required to achieve sterilization. The CDC classifies endoscopes as semicritical items, indicating they do not typically need to be sterilized but do require a high level of disinfection to eliminate potential pathogens effectively.