The Importance of Spore Testing

While autoclaves are just one step of a whole sterilization cycle, they are critical in ensuring your tools are free of any harmful bacteria that can work their way into your patients. Once the tools leave the autoclave, they’re ready for their next task. If your autoclave doesn’t perform to standard, everything can go wrong. If the autoclave can’t sterilize properly, then the whole cycle is disrupted, and your tools are now contaminated. Maintaining your autoclave regularly is severely important to ensure everything performs as it should. But just replacing parts and checking off boxes on your sheet isn’t enough, it is vital to properly test your autoclave’s sterilization and ensure that it can guarantee proper results. Thankfully, there’s a fast and easy way to do just that.

In this article, we’d like to go over the importance of spore testing. The process of testing your autoclave using biological indicators. And if you have any questions about this or anything else, call us at 704-966-1650, Option 3. 

The Importance of Spore Testing

In some states, spore testing is required at LEAST once a week. The CDC has clear guidelines that state all sterilizers should be subject to biological, chemical and mechanical monitoring. These are the 3 different kinds of monitoring. Mechanical monitoring is ensuring that all gauges operate at optimal levels. This is done by examining printouts and downloads to record if your cycle parameters are up to standard. Chemical monitoring is done by using color-changing strips that give you an instant reading as to if the load is processed or unprocessed.

But mechanical or chemical indicators can’t verify sterility. They can help you find malfunctions or errors with the machine itself, but that’s a different situation entirely. Spore testing is critical because it’s the only proper way to test the sterilization of your autoclaves. Spore testing your autoclave is the best way to provide assurance that your autoclave is functioning. And, subsequently, that your office is performing all of its sterilization and instrument processing procedures correctly. And it’s not just about spore testing as a whole, while it is important, the advancement of medical tech has made it a vital practice. With things like rapid-test biological indicators and readers that are used to perform said tests.

What Are Biological Indicators and Readers?

Before we get into the importance of spore testing as a whole, let’s go over something. Biological indicators, the vial that shows the efficacy of your sterilizer. But what are they?

A biological indicator provides information on whether necessary conditions were met to kill a specified number of microorganisms for a given sterilization process. They provide a level of confidence in the process. The biological indicator is made up of a carrier material, which are bacterial spores, or endospores, with a resistance to sterilization processes. The carrier material is enclosed within a glassine vial that’s put through a sterilization cycle. The vial is incubated afterward in the growth conditions needed to determine if any spores in the vial survived. If any spores survived, the test fails, but if no spores are detected, the test is a success.

Holding the Record

Record keeping is also vital to this whole process as well. If you have the ability to get test results in just hours and do nothing else with that, then you’re not doing it right. Proper record keeping is important when it comes to knowing what passed and what failed. Keeping track of which sterilizers can and can’t be used is the first step in preventing infections. Using a sterilizer that can’t sterilize as needed, and failing to produce records that you followed the testing procedures, can have significant ramifications. 

So to provide your patients with more robust protection, ensure your practice is keeping track of every test that each unit undergoes. When you implement protocols that can remove instruments that failed spore tests, you can further guarantee that protection.

3M’s Fast-Acting Solution

When it comes to ensuring easy testing with fast results, 3M knows just what you need. The Super Rapid Steam Bio-Indicators, along with their Attest Mini-Bio Reader 490M. These 3M products ensure fast results for spore testing. So that your practice gets the results they need to find a solution in no time.

3M Super Rapid Steam Bio-Indicators

These are 3M’s Super Rapid Steam Bio-Indicators. The vials themselves have an interesting makeup. Each vial consists of a spore carrier with spores of Geobacillus stearothermophilus and sealed glass ampoule with bacteriological media. And the top has a brown ring for color coding, and even has a chemical indicator in the center. 

When processed, the chemical process indicator turns from pink to light or dark brown. After steam sterilization, the indicator’s materials join with the spores. Then it’s all incubated in the Attest system, and can get results in just 24 minutes. And as fast as these results can be, you can log the data even faster. Each vial is marked with a barcode for handheld scanners. Making recording results as seamless as possible. But if condensed information is more your style, here’s some more information:

• Results in just 24 minutes
• Color-coded (brown cap) for quick reference and ease of use
• ISO 11138-1:2017 and ISO 11138-3:2017 compliant
• Monitors 270°F/132°C and 275°F/135°C dynamic-air-removal saturated steam sterilization processes
• Compatible with the 3M™ Attest™ Auto-reader 490 or 490M
• UDI-compliant 2-D barcode technology to capture BI GTIN, use-by date and lot code with handheld scanner
• Recyclable BI tray, QA Cert, IFU, primary packaging box and label minimizes waste
  

3M’s Super Rapid Steam Bio-Indicators are available here. 

3M’s full line of biological indicators is available here on our website.

3M Attest Mini-Bio Reader 490M

3M not only has their own indicators, but they’ve made their own proprietary reader to match. They’ve made their way into the sterilization monitoring market with their Attest line of products. And that includes their Attest Mini-Reader 490M. A compact, 4-Well, dual auto-reader that can get the job done in no time at all. Made for their Attest line of indicators, 3M’s Mini Auto-Reader seeks to raise the standard of care. With fast turnaround times and the ability to connect with other 3M products for fast data integration. And that’s not all, with the 3M Attest Mini Auto-Reader, you’ll get features like: 

• An extra-large, intelligent display with a time-to-result countdown.
• Incubation capacity for 3M’s Attest Biological Indicators 1295, 1491, and 1492V.
• The Mini Reader incubates at 60ºC for a final negative fluorescent reading at just 24 minutes. 
• Place any Attest 1491 or 1492V (for steam) or 1295 (for VH202) indicator in the well at any time. 
• Connect with 3M product apps to get real time BI results and quickly integrate data into your facility’s tracking system. 

But remember, other biological indicators CANNOT be used with this Mini Auto-Reader. 

The 3M Attest Mini Bio Auto-Reader is available on our website here.

The 3M Attest Super Rapid Mini Auto-Reader Starter Kit is available on our site as well.

Tuttnauer’s Selection

3M isn’t the only option when it comes to sterilization monitoring, because Tuttnauer has their line of indicators and readers too.

Tuttnauer’s BioNova and MiniBio Readers

The Tuttnauer BioNova Incubator is a tabletop incubator that has been designed to meet the needs of modern day laboratories. It includes a wide range of features, and can be used for a variety of applications. It features an electronic temperature control system that allows you to run multiple programs at once. The Tuttnauer BioNova Incubator is designed to give you the power and speed you need with an easily accessible mainframe. With features like: 

• Optimization of incubation times
• 2 Simultaneous programs
• 20 Minute & 1 hour process times can be used simultaneously
• 12 Incubation slots
• Ease of use
• Thermal printer
• USB connection with free software download
• One BI and reader can be used in both gravity and pre/post vacuum sterilizers

Tuttnauer’s BioNova Incubator is available here on our website. 

Along with that, Tuttnauer has their MiniBio Auto-Reader as well. The compact counterpart to the BioNova unit. The Tuttnauer MiniBio Auto-Reader Incubator is a great addition to any office. The MiniBio’s convenient design allows for easy transport and provides a fully functional incubator for all your needs. The MiniBio comes with a built-in printer that allows you to print out your results for record keeping. And with that, it also sports a number of other features like: 

• Can run 20 minute or 1 hour biological indicators (20 minutes is the fastest currently available in market).
• User-friendly button interface.
• Includes thermal printer to print immediate results.
• One BI and reader can be used in both gravity and pre/post vacuum sterilizers
• Small footprint device for compact storage and placement.

Tuttnauer’s MiniBio Auto-Reader Incubator is available here on our website. 

Tuttnauer’s Biological Indicators

Just like 3M, Tuttnauer has their own line of biological indicators, in the form of their Rapid Test Indicators. These indicators function just like the others. Made for the BioNova and MiniBio Incubators, these indicators come in the form of 1 hour Rapid Test Indicators, and 20 Minute Ultra-Rapid Indicators. With increasing demands for faster sterile instruments turnaround in healthcare facilities, sterilization results need to be available as soon as possible. And when it’s speed you need, Tuttnauer has you covered. Both the Rapid and Ultra Rapid indicators are:

• Compatible with gravity and pre/post vacuum autoclaves.
• Use with the BioNova Incubator or  MiniBio Auto-Reader
• Designed for Hospitals, ASC’s, Physicians & Dental Practices

Tuttnauer’s Ultra-Rapid (20 min) Bio Indicators are available here on our site. 

Tuttnauer’s Rapid (1 hour) Bio Indicators are available here on our site. 

Final Thoughts

When it comes to spore testing and every step involved, the importance can’t be understated. Spore testing provides a result that other testing methods can’t. Sterility being one of the most important aspects of your autoclave and keeping track of the tests being performed can be the difference between protection and infection. When you can get results fast, you should be doing everything in your power to make sure that every one of your autoclaves are in working order. And if it’s fast results you need, we’ve got you covered.

With our huge selection of different readers, indicators, testing kits and more, your practice can start the practice of protection in no time. You can browse all of our sterilization monitoring products on our website here.

And as always, if you have any questions, you can call us at 704-966-1650, Option 3 for our free tech support. Or you can find us using the links below.

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As always if you have any questions about this process or anything else please feel free to contact us and take advantage of our “FREE TECH SUPPORT.”

We also offer FREE VIRTUAL TECH SUPPORT to “See and Talk” with a “Real Time Live Technician” for any problems you may be in need of help with.

You can also use our “FREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM”. Take the guesswork and worrying about what unit is due for maintenance and which maintenance cycle it is time for. We will keep track of all your autoclaves and let you know when it’s time for anything.

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