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Infection Control · single question

What is the key distinguishing capability between a low-level disinfectant and an intermediate (moderate)-level disinfectant?

  1. Intermediate-level disinfectants additionally kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  2. Low-level disinfectants kill bacterial spores while intermediate-level disinfectants do not
  3. There is no meaningful difference between the two categories
  4. Intermediate-level disinfectants are defined by killing HIV specifically, which low-level disinfectants cannot
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Correct answer: A. Intermediate-level disinfectants additionally kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The key differentiator between low-level and intermediate-level disinfectants is tuberculocidal activity: intermediate-level disinfectants are capable of killing Mycobacterium tuberculosis (a notably resistant organism), while low-level disinfectants are not. Neither low- nor intermediate-level disinfectants reliably kill bacterial spores — that capability requires high-level disinfection or sterilization.

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