[Disinfection of medical and surgical equipment: efficacy of chemical disinfectants and water and soap]. / Descontaminação prévia de materiais médico-cirúrgicos: estudo da eficácia de desinfetantes químicos e água e sabão.

In this experimental study we compared the previous descontamination efficacy of the medical surgical materials by the use of chemical disinfectants and the mechanical cleaning with water and soap, as well as verified the organic material interference in these procedures. To carry out this study, we used surgical pincers under contamination with: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC-6538, Salmonella cholerae suis ATCC-10708, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC-15442 in presence and absence of organic matter (fetal bovine serum). The following treatments: glutaraldehyde 2%, sodium hypochlorite 1%, hydrogen peroxide 6%, alcohol 70% and the mechanical cleaning with water and soap were compared with eight repetitions in a total of 480 observations. In the described conditions, the disinfectants had a good efficacy in the previous descontamination of the medical surgical materials and a less inactivation by the organic material. The mechanical cleaning with water and soap showed a reduction of the microrganism to safe levels, considered adequate for previous descontamination.

[Biosafety: scientific production in nursing]. / Biossegurança: a produção científica em enfermagem.

The aim of this study was to investigate thematic approach and methodological focuses used in researches about biosafety, as well as the qualification of the authors of papers published in Brazilian Nursing periodicals. The publications were classified according to the main subject, as follows: worker's health; patient's health; and environment. The results showed that in a 65 years period (1932-1997) a total of 224 studies about biosafety were published, 76 were articles and conferences; 148 scientific articles, monographs and thesis. There was a predominance of articles about worker's and patient's health. Most of the studies were descriptive researches and were published by nurses of the Southeast area of the country. The majority of the authors were teachers with a Master or Doctorate degree.