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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Determining Viral Disinfection Efficacy of Hot Water Laundering
Published on: June 21, 2022
[Items sterilized in humid heat: validation of the storage system]
Zilah Cândida Pereira das Neves1, Dulcelene de Sousa Melo, Adenícia Custódia Silva e Souza
1SCIH do Hospital Materno Infantil e da Coordenação Municipal de DST/AIDS. zilahcandida@hotmail.com
Abstract:
We aimed at identifying the period of validity of the sterilization of items by humid heat, taking into account the conditions of sterilization and storage. The validation was carried out by means of microbiological tests performed with instruments in the same load and evaluated in 0, 7, 10, 15, and 25 days. 30% of the instruments in each package were analysed and put in a Mueller Hinton solution and incubated at 37 degrees C for 72 hours. The reading was accomplished taking into consideration how dark the solution was. Out of the samples evaluated in nine loads, none showed microbiological growth. It was concluded that, although sterilization and storage conditions of the material were not fully in accordance with parameters recommended by the literature, the sterilization happened and was maintained for a period of 25 days.
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