Sterilization describes a process that destroys or eliminates all forms of microbial life and is carried out in health-care facilities by physical or chemical methods. 6-12 This guideline presents a pragmatic approach to the judicious selection and proper use of disinfection and sterilization processes the approach is based on well-designed studies assessing the efficacy (through laboratory investigations) and effectiveness (through clinical studies) of disinfection and sterilization procedures. 3-6 Failure to comply with scientifically-based guidelines has led to numerous outbreaks. Multiple studies in many countries have documented lack of compliance with established guidelines for disinfection and sterilization. Because sterilization of all patient-care items is not necessary, health-care policies must identify, primarily on the basis of the items’ intended use, whether cleaning, disinfection, or sterilization is indicated. Failure to properly disinfect or sterilize equipment carries not only risk associated with breach of host barriers but also risk for person-to-person transmission (e.g., hepatitis B virus) and transmission of environmental pathogens (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa).ĭisinfection and sterilization are essential for ensuring that medical and surgical instruments do not transmit infectious pathogens to patients. A major risk of all such procedures is the introduction of pathogens that can lead to infection. 2Each procedure involves contact by a medical device or surgical instrument with a patient’s sterile tissue or mucous membranes. In the United States, approximately 46.5 million surgical procedures and even more invasive medical procedures-including approximately 5 million gastrointestinal endoscopies-are performed each year.
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