Journal Article

Comparative evaluation of the microbicidal activity of low-temperature sterilization technologies to steam sterilization

Rutala, William A., Weber, David J., Gergen, Maria F., Sickbert-Bennett, Emily E.

2020

Overview

To compare the microbicidal activity of low-temperature sterilization technologies (vaporized hydrogen peroxide [VHP], ethylene oxide [ETO], and hydrogen peroxide gas plasma [HPGP]) to steam sterilization in the presence of salt and serum to simulate inadequate precleaning. Test carriers were inoculated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, Mycobacterium terrae, Bacillus atrophaeus spores, Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores, or Clostridiodes difficile spores in the presence of salt and serum and then subjected to 4 sterilization technologies: steam, ETO, VHP and HPGP. Steam, ETO, and HPGP sterilization techniques were capable of inactivating the test organisms on stainless steel carriers with a failure rate of 0% (0 of 220), 1.9% (6 of 310), and 1.9% (5 of 270), respectively. The failure rate for VHP was 76.3% (206 of 270). Steam sterilization is the most effective and had the largest margin of safety, followed by ETO and HPGP, but VHP showed much less efficacy.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Antibiotic resistance / Antibiotics / Bacteria / E coli / Enterococcus / Escherichia coli / Ethylene Oxide - pharmacology / Failure / Heat / Humans / Hydrogen peroxide / Hydrogen Peroxide - pharmacology / Indicator organisms / Low temperature / Medical equipment / Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Preventive maintenance / Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Spores, Bacterial - drug effects / Staphylococcus aureus / Steam / Sterilization / Sterilization - methods / Temperature / Test organisms / Vancomycin Resistance