[Biological and chemical indicators of thermal sterilization and their possible effect on its general concept]

Regarding to ignorance of germ thermoresistance occurring in hospital environment, the effect of sterilization in medicine is determined occasionally on samples of medium with high number of germs or tests are performed to determine the sterilization success (in pharmacy) by examining samples of sterile badges, although their degrees of contamination (mostly low) before sterilization are not known. Instead of fixed sterilization parameters, the new second Pharmacopoeia of the German Democratic Republic (1976 seqq.) allows a free choise of sterilization parameters ingeniously spaced (110 degrees C--140 degrees C vapour, 160 degrees C--200 degrees C hot air) according to diagrams. The mentioned methods both imperfect and expensive ones should be replaced by introducing sterilization indicators whose changes might render the designation "sterile" possible. Substantial differencies between biological and chemical indicators are shown.