IPC In Practice

Keep Your Eyes on Ophthalmology

Ophthalmic devices that touch the eye's mucous membranes carry infection risks including Acanthamoeba keratitis, adenoviral epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (which causes ~92% of acute epibulbar infections) and endophthalmitis; adenoviruses can survive up to 35 days on plastic surfaces. High-level disinfection under the Spaulding Classification, using broad-spectrum chlorine dioxide products like Tristel DUO OPH, is tested to EN 14885:2018 and EN 14476.
Understand European Norms: What They Mean for Disinfection

European Norms (ENs) are the standards that define disinfection efficacy in Europe's medical sector, requiring at least a 5-log reduction for vegetative bacteria and a 4-log reduction for bacterial spores, viruses, mycobacteria, fungi and yeasts. Sporicidal activity is tested to EN 17126 and EN 17846, and virucidal activity to EN 14476, EN 17111 and EN 16777. Which standards apply depends on the disinfection level required (low, intermediate, or high) for a given device and its clinical use.
Understanding Sporicidal Claims: What You Should Know

In UK healthcare settings, sporicidal claims matter most where bacterial endospores such as Clostridioides difficile pose an infection risk — a leading concern for NHS infection prevention and control teams. Under EN 14885, a product can only be credibly called sporicidal if it passes both EN 17126 (suspension test) and EN 17846 (surface wipe test, mandatory since May 2025). Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) cannot make this claim: their membrane-disruption mechanism has no effect on spores' resistant coats, per CDC guidance.
The Challenge of Biofilms in Healthcare

In UK healthcare settings, biofilms are a persistent driver of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs), with bacteria in a biofilm up to 1,000 times more resistant to antibiotics. Wet biofilms form in moist environments like device channels and water lines, typically involving gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while dry biofilms develop on low-moisture surfaces and resist cleaning even more strongly. Testing to ASTM E2799 and E2871-22 shows Tristel's chlorine dioxide disinfectants achieve sporicidal disinfection against biofilms in as little as 30 seconds.