The public environment is constantly exposed to viruses and infections. In order to eliminate and prevent them, it is necessary to regularly disinfect public places. Consider the main types of disinfection in medicine.
What is disinfection?
Disinfection is a series of planned actions to fight infections, toxicity, harmful microorganisms. This is a certain type of restoration of sterility, antimicrobial measures. In all cases of disinfection, a composition of chemicals containing sodium hypochloride, organic matter, formaldehyde is used.
Name of solutions for disinfection
- Chlorhexidine Solution
- Ammonium compounds.
- Peracetic acid solution.
- Guanidines.
- Polyguanidines.
In the process of disinfection, the bulk of harmful bacteria is destroyed. But there is a chance that it will not be possible to achieve 100% removal, but you can reduce their number to an acceptable level.
Types of disinfection in medicine
Current disinfection measures - are carried out during the patient's bed rest in medical wards, with isolated placement of patients. The main objective of such measures is the elimination of the causative agent of infection, an obstacle to the further spread of bacteria in the process of the patient’s existence, and sterilization of the room.
The main recommendations for such disinfection are the treatment of infectious diseases at home, the maintenance of the patient in the area where the infection spread, before being placed in a medical hospital. What other types of disinfection are there in medicine?
Preventive disinfection measures are carried out regularly, regardless of epidemiology. For example, the constant washing of certain parts of the body, the processing of household items with special solutions with an antibacterial effect help significantly reduce the risk of infection. For the same purpose, such preventive measures are carried out in places of the likely spread of infection - schools, kindergartens, hospitals and clinics, public transport, public catering, etc.
Final disinfection measures are carried out after isolation of the patient to find him in the hospital, as well as complete healing or death in the treatment process. In other words, after eliminating the focus of infection, in order to avoid its further spread in residual form.
Specialized centers and departments of disinfection and sterilization of the organs of Rospotrebnadzor are engaged in such disinfection actions.
It is necessary to consider in more detail the types of disinfection in medicine with examples.
Mechanical methods
- Cleaning with water.
- Using a vacuum cleaner.
- Painting the walls.
- Hand washing.
- Elimination of the topcoat susceptible to infection
- Shaking things, wardrobe items, towels and linen.
These are the mechanical types of disinfection in medicine.
Physical methods
- Use of ultraviolet lamps.
- Processing boiling water, boiling linen and utensils.
- By increasing the temperature to the point at which the infection does not survive.
Combined methods
With it, the first two methods are combined. For example, they carry out wet disinfecting cleaning, after which the entire surface is treated with ultraviolet rays.
Biological methods
Mainly used to extinguish foci of infection in effluents, to eliminate environmental pollution. It is carried out by specialized biostations. These types of disinfection in the medicine of Belarus are available.
Methods for disinfecting
- Processing by spraying the solution.
- Volumetric irrigation with a solution of surfaces, surface treatment with a rag or sponge moistened in a solution.
- Soaking disinfection items in a special solution.
Who carries out the disinfection?
If we are talking about disinfection at home, then it is carried out by the patient himself or the people around him. In medical institutions, kindergartens and schools and in other organizations, it is carried out by specialized personnel for the maintenance of premises (cleaners, nurses, etc.). It should be noted that in surgery rooms and other rooms where only strictly defined medical personnel can be located, they themselves carry out all types of disinfection in medicine.
Household disinfection
Basically, a person is faced with disinfection when treating skin lesions of body parts, after medical procedures, injuries, etc. To do this, a cotton swab is moistened in alcohol and the damaged surface is treated. The second most common method of home disinfection is the treatment of wounds and abrasions with a solution of hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, miramistin, and the affected area is irrigated from a pharmacy bottle.
For the treatment of wounds, as a disinfection, an iodine solution with an alcohol content and pharmaceutical greens are used. When treating dental wounds - damage to the gums, oral mucosa - use medical bluing. In everyday life, wounds and cuts are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. In medicine, solutions containing silver are used as a disinfectant. A solution of sodium chloride and soda is also considered a household disinfectant. The use of the above solutions is associated with their antimicrobial astringent properties.
They have a beneficial effect on the affected area, prevent the spread of infection, the occurrence of inflammation and contribute to the rapid healing of wounds, cuts, etc. Nowadays, special gels and medical solutions for treating hands with an antiseptic effect are also used in everyday life. Another innovation is hygienic alcohol wipes. They are in free mass sale.
Disinfection organization
Rospotrebnadzor bodies formed special departments and administrations that control the types of disinfection in medicine. Every year, the sanitary-epidemiological services create an action plan for disinfecting measures. This is due to the prevention of mass epidemics of the spread of infections. In addition to the approved action plan, Rospotrebnadzor monitors its implementation by organizations, institutions and the public.
Punitive measures exist and administrative liability is provided for non-compliance with sanitary and epidemiological surveillance. A number of mandatory preventive disinfection measures are provided for state institutions, educational institutions and the population. Medical facilities also have strict regulations in the field of Rostechnadzor.
Special monitoring of compliance with disinfection measures is expected in the field of catering. It must be understood that compliance with disinfection measures is responsible for the ecology of society as a whole. In case of non-compliance with the requirements, there is a risk of the spread of dangerous mass infections and, as a consequence, epidemics.
Examples
To make it clearer what types and methods of disinfection in medicine exist, we give examples. Gaining spread, infections have a clear relationship in all spheres of human life. So, for example, non-compliance with the disinfection of the hands of a child at home can lead to the spread of intestinal infection in kindergarten or school through objects of use. If the appropriate measures are not followed, the infection will spread by transmission through the dishes in the dining room. Then another teenager will bring the infection home and infect the parents. With poor disinfection of dishes, objects in the workplace, the infection will go to work collectives.
A similar example - non-compliance with disinfecting measures in the meat processing and livestock industries will allow the infection to spread to food. Through food, falling on store shelves, in catering places and a home refrigerator, will cause an epidemic of infection of the country's population with any disease. We examined the main types of disinfection in medicine.
Poor disinfection in medical facilities leads to the spread of infection from one patient to another. For example, an infection can spread throughout a hospital through a medical tool or accessory. We have described in detail the main types of disinfection in medicine. This concept is quite common and you need to know about it.