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CRITICAL - objects which enter normally sterile tissue or the vascular system or through which blood flows should be sterile. SEMICRITICAL - objects that touch mucous membranes or skin that is not intact require a disinfection process (high- level disinfection [HLD]) that kills all microorganisms and some bacterial spores. NONCRITICAL -objects that touch only intact skin require low- level disinfection (or non-germicidal detergent). Need to consider microbes that may deviate from the hierarchy- parvovirus, HPV, nontuberculous mycobacteria, prions, protozoa • |
