Question

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1. Fire in ancient rituals typifies modern sterilization.

In no less than 2 descriptive paragraphs describe what this statement means.

2. Who first discovered the heat resistance of bacteria? What is the significance of this in SP? (State in at least 2 paragraphs.)

3. In a brief essay, compare early developments in steam sterilization with more modern steam sterilization. (HINT: non-pressurized vs. pressurized systems.)

4. Using 2 paragraphs, distinguish the contributions by the German and Americans, emphasizing the design differences in steam sterilization between the two.

5. One of the early problems in the American research on steam sterilization, was cycle monitoring. Discuss in 2-3 paragraphs, being sure to state the relevance of this issue.

Answer 1

Sterilization refers to any process that eliminates, removes, kills, or deactivates all forms of life (in particular referring to microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spores, unicellular eukaryotic organisms such as Plasmodium, etc.) and other biological agents like prions present in a specific surface

Moses (circa 1450 BC) was the first recorded to prescribe a system of purification by fire, and we learn from the books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy that he also developed the first system for the purification of infected premises. The stern mandates given by the Mosaic law formed the basis of the first sanitary code and the various systems of purification of the succeeding ages.

In 300 BC, Hippocrates- also known as “the father of healing” acknowledged the importance of keeping wounds clean and used substances such as boiling water to disinfect them. Hippocrates also attempted to prevent the plague from spreading in Athens by starting fires using aromatic wood.

Genomics reveals mechanism of heat resistance in bacteria. Thermophilic bacteria can thrive in extreme heat because their proteins have an abundance of disulfides (yellow, above), covalent bonds between sulfur atoms that improve stability and likely boost heat-tolerance.

The heat from the condensation of steam envelops the items in the sterilizer and kills the microorganisms in a quick and simple way. It is achieved by damaging the cells irreversibly by coagulation.The utilization of saturated steam to sterilize pharmaceutical equipment, products, and reagents is also a widely used sterilization technique. This process is highly energy efficient due to the latent heat released when steam condenses on the items. This can be beneficial, especially for pharmaceutical products.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, moist heat is the most effective way to sterilize surgical equipments . That’s because of its ability to kill microorganisms.

Non pressurised steam sterilization means sterilization of equipment in boiling water under atmospheric pressure around a temprature of 100 degree Celsius .Sterilizing with boiling water is not as effective as using pressurized steam, and does not provide 100 percent sterilization. It does, however, kill many microorganisms. Boiling is not enough to kill heat-resistant bacteria, such as endospores.

Steam pressure sterilization requires a combination of pressure, high temperatures, and moisture, and serves as one of the most widely used methods for sterilization where these functions will not effect a load. The simplest example of a steam pressure sterilizer is a home pressure cooker, though it is not recommended for accurate sterilization. Its main component is a chamber or vessel in which items for sterilization are sealed and subjected to high temperatures for a specified length of time, known as a cycle.Steam pressure sterilizer has replaced the term autoclave for all practical purposes, though autoclaving is still used to describe the process of sterilization by steam. The function of the sterilizer is to kill unwanted microorganisms on instruments, in cultures, and even in liquids, because the presence of foreign microbes might negatively effect the outcome of a test, or the purity of a sample. A sterilizer also acts as a test vehicle for industrial products such as plastics that must withstand certain pressures and temperatures.

One of the popular type steam sterilization used in America is consolidated steam sterilization. Consolidated Sterilizers are designed to sterilize at temperatures between 212ºF and 275ºF (100ºC and 135ºC) through the use of steam. Choose from a stainless steel or nickel-clad steel vessel construction in a variety of sizes and programmable control options for pre-vacuum or gravity operation. Consolidated sterilizers offer a range of performance options to meet the most demanding applications in clinical, animal and life science, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and commercial/industrial applications.