%0 Journal Article
%T Chemical disinfectants: Controversies regarding their use in low risk healthcare environments (part 1)
%A Evonne T Curran
%A Martyn Wilkinson
%A Tina Bradley
%J Journal of Infection Prevention
%@ 1757-1782
%D 2019
%R 10.1177/1757177419828139
%X In recent years, the number of disinfectants designed to decontaminate healthcare environments and reusable, non-invasive care equipment (NICE) has increased markedly, making the selection of the most appropriate disinfectant a somewhat daunting prospect. In addition to the microbial challenge, there are numerous factors to consider including: efficacy; range and speed of activity; stability of the ingredients; compatibility of the disinfectant with surfaces; inactivation of the disinfectant by organic matter; method of application; convenience; health and safety concerns; and cost. While the microbial challenge continues to evolve, and novel disinfectants continue to emerge, guidance updates have been notably absent. Most healthcare surfaces belong to a UK-defined category of ¡®low risk¡¯ for which guidance dictates ¡®cleaning and drying is usually sufficient¡¯. This paper assesses the evidence and arguments regarding the use of disinfectants for low-risk healthcare surfaces. A novel subcategorisation of ¡®low risk¡¯ is presented to provide a more specific up-to-date disinfectant needs assessment
%K Disinfectant
%K hospitals
%K low risk
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1757177419828139