General microbiology: sterilization and disinfection, biomedical waste
Microbiology · MBBS
Study notes
A surgical tray is autoclaved at 121°C for 15 minutes before the operation. Steam under pressure (121°C, 15 psi) kills everything including spores — the gold standard for surgical instruments; indicators (chemical strips, biological spores) verify each cycle. Heat-sensitive items (plastics, endoscopes) use ethylene oxide or glutaraldehyde. The sterile field is surgery's invisible foundation — every infection prevented starts with this cycle.
Related topics
- General microbiology: bacterial morphology, staining, culture media
- Bacteriology: gram-positive cocci — staphylococci, streptococci
- Bacteriology: gram-negative cocci, gram-positive bacilli
- Bacteriology: enterobacteriaceae — E. coli, salmonella, shigella, vibrio
- Bacteriology: mycobacteria — tuberculosis, leprosy
- Bacteriology: spirochetes, rickettsiae, chlamydiae, mycoplasma