Question

During production of a drug, all work area surfaces must be disinfected using sterilized disinfectants. Which of the following statements about disinfectants are true? Select all that apply. View Available Hint(s)for Part A Disinfectants destroy all microbes present on a surface. Disinfection can be used to treat work surfaces as well as workers (i.e., washing hands). Disinfection can occur by physical or chemical means. Disinfectants are used to inhibit or destroy pathogens. Endospores and viruses can resist disinfectant treatment.

Answer 1

Answer: The correct options are

--> Disinfectants are used to inhibit or destroy pathogens,

--> Disinfection can occur by physical or chemical means,

--> Endospores and viruses can resist disinfectant treatment.

Explanation:

To prevent infectious diseases from spreading or to sterilise work area surfaces during the production of drugs, chemicals known as disinfectants as used. These are chemicals that kill or inhibit the growth of pathogens. Other chemicals such as antiseptics can also kill and prevent the growth of mainly pathogenic microorganisms. However, disinfectants are stronger chemicals than antiseptics and so are often used on non-living things and surfaces.

Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant bacterial spores (endospores) and viruses, so it is less effective than sterilisation.

There are generally two methods of disinfection:

--> The chemical method: A typical example of a chemical disinfectant is the carbolic acid. It is used for disinfecting lavatories and floors.

--> The physical method: here, physical agents are use to disrupt and damage the pathogenic organisms on work surfaces. Some typical example include: UV irradiation, heat, sunlight exposure, sonic or hydrodynamic pressure and radiation.