Types of disinfection - what you need to know when caring for a sick person

Disinfection means a set of measures taken to destroy pathogens of various diseases in our environment and to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Disinfection is carried out in children's and medical institutions, as well as in the family in case of a foci of infection. Unlike sterilization, in which absolutely all types of microorganisms are destroyed, disinfection provides for the elimination of only pathogenic forms. A synonym for this concept is disinfection.

Disinfections should be exposed to all objects that are in contact with the patient - utensils, heating pads, thermometers, household items. In medical institutions, disinfect tools, gloves, floors and couches. For instruments that come into contact with blood, an open wound surface, or preparations for injection, disinfection is a pre-treatment step before sterilization.

The main types of disinfection are preventive and focal. They differ in the purpose and methods of exposure to pathogenic microorganisms, the severity of the threat of infection. In addition, these types of disinfection differ in terms and frequency of the conduct.

Preventive disinfection is carried out on a regular basis in the family, any children's team, as well as in medical and children's institutions (schools, kindergartens) in order to prevent the emergence of infections, i.e. when specific cases of the disease may not be. Measures of preventive disinfection include wet cleaning of premises, ventilation, filtration of water, boiling, disinfection of drains, etc. They are designed to reduce the number of bacteria in the environment.

Focal disinfection is performed when diseases occur or are suspected. Types of disinfection in this case - current and final. The current disinfection is organized by the patient himself, his relatives, employees of the medical institution or SES and is conducted, while the patient carries a threat of infection for others, ie, he is a carrier. Final disinfection is a one-off event after isolation or recovery of a patient or his death at home or in a hospital. Its purpose is to prevent the spread of the disease through objects that have been in contact with the patient. It is desirable to conduct it as soon as possible, best after the liquidation of the source.

Types of disinfection by the method of exposure refer to one of two methods - physical or chemical. The physical method is based on disinfection of the treated surfaces under the influence of physical factors - high temperatures (boiling, calcining, pasteurization, hot drying), radiant energy (ultraviolet, ionizing and radioactive radiation, high frequency currents). Also, this method includes mechanical methods of exposure-shaking, knocking out, washing with soap or synthetic means.

Glass, metal objects, as well as products of heat-resistant plastic, boil in distilled water or with the addition of soda. Products with an internal canal (syringes) are washed in boiled chlorinated water.

Chemical disinfection is carried out with the help of an aqueous solution of chemical substances. She is exposed to objects made of glass, rubber, polymers and metals, resistant to corrosion. Disinfect objects by immersion in the active solution or wiping with a cloth soaked in a solution. To obtain disinfectant solutions, the most commonly used are products containing chlorine. These include chloramine, chlorhexidine (or gibitane), bleach, sulfochloranthine, dezam, dichloro-1, chlordesin. Other disinfectants are hydrogen peroxide, ampholane.

There is also disinfection with saturated steam in an autoclave under pressure (so-called steam method). So disinfect products from latex, rubber, heat-resistant polymers, as well as glass and metal.