Question

Blood spill management

• A. Ethyl Alcohol
• B. Chlorhexidine
• C. Formaldehyde
• D. Sodium Hypochlorite

Hint:

The WHO-recommended disinfectant for blood and body fluid spills in healthcare settings is a chlorine-based compound used at 0.5% concentration.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understand blood spill management protocol. When blood is spilled on a surface (e.g., hospital floor, bench), a specific disinfectant is required to effectively deactivate bloodborne pathogens including HIV, HBV, and HCV.

Step 2: Identify the correct agent. The standard protocol for blood spill management is:

1. Wipe the area with water and detergent until visibly clean.
2. Saturate the area again with Sodium Hypochlorite 0.5% (10,000 ppm available chlorine).
3. This is a 1:10 dilution of 5.25% sodium hypochlorite bleach, prepared daily.

Step 3: Explain why Sodium Hypochlorite is used. Sodium hypochlorite is a broad-spectrum disinfectant effective against bacteria, viruses (including HIV and hepatitis viruses), fungi, and spores. It is the WHO-recommended agent for blood and body fluid spills in healthcare settings.

Step 4: Eliminate other options.

• Ethyl alcohol: effective antiseptic/disinfectant but not the standard for blood spills; does not effectively penetrate organic material
• Chlorhexidine: antiseptic used on skin; not appropriate for environmental blood spill decontamination
• Formaldehyde: used for chemical sterilization/fixation; toxic and not used for routine spill management

Answer: Sodium Hypochlorite