Question

Type 5 Integrator & Biological Indicator

Answer 1

Type 5 Integrator - Class 5 integrators are designed to react to all three critical variables of sterilization — time, temperature, and steam. An integrator will confirm that steam has penetrated a pack for a certain amount of time at a certain temperature. Class 5 integrating indicators must indicate exposure that is comparable to a biological indicator — 121°C or 250°F for longer than 16.5 minutes. The benefit in using a Class 5 integrator is that it provides the user with immediate feedback about the sterilization process, with the accuracy of a biological monitor. When instrument packs are removed from the sterilizer, each pack should be checked to make sure that the indicator demonstrates a “pass” or “accept.” If not, the instruments should be repackaged and reprocessed.

Biological indicator - Biological indicators are test systems that contain viable microorganisms with a defined resistance to a specific sterilization process. They help monitor whether the necessary conditions were met to kill a specified number of microorganisms for a given sterilization process.

Bacterial spores are some of the toughest microorganisms to kill. Since Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores demonstrate a high resistance toward steam and vaporized hydrogen peroxide, they’re used in biological indicators that monitor these sterilization processes, while BIs with Bacillus atrophaeus are used for ethylene oxide (EO) and dry heat applications.A passing result for the BI demonstrates that the sterilizer is effective in killing a large number of highly resistant bacterial spores, providing users with a level of assurance in their sterilization process.