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Introduction: Cotton as well as synthetic textile medical products are widely used as barrier materials and individual protection against displacement of biological infectious factors. The required level of protection of these products for multiple use and disposable multilayer laminates against the penetration of microbes depends on the risk connected with type of surgical procedure defined in normative documents. METHODS. Cotton and syntetic medical textiles for multiple use, 30-times subjected to processes simulating conditions of the use as well as disposable multilayer surgical drapes were tested. Resistance to microbial wet penetration was conducted according to the PN-EN ISO 22610: 2007 standard., Results: The barrier of cotton fabrics was reduced after first washing and then systematically grew after each often cycles to the value close to the value at the beginning. From the twentieth cycle of simulated conditions of the use, barrier index was reduced. The barrier of the synthetic textile stayed on the average level, while multilayer disposable products ensured the full impermeability for the bacteria., Conclusions: Natural cotton textiles for multiple use could be apply on operative blocks in limited range because of the changes of the cotton structure caused by repeated laundering process and sterilization. Synthetic materials also have limited application, although are more resistant to cleaning and sterilization processes. Disposable synthetic laminates with many layers use guarantee impermeability for bacteria and may be applied in operative blocks without restrictions.

The aim of the study was the evaluation of sterilization of medical devices in Polish hospitals. The system that we use to establish which sterilization procedures should be employed to reduce the risk of hospital infections associated with medical devices. Based on inquiries, the conditions for the sterilization of medical devices in 21 Warsaw hospitals were assessed. The following issues were taken into consideration: preparation of medical supplies for sterilization, methods of sterilization and the monitoring system. In order to evaluate hygienic conditions due to sterilization points system was applied. 10% of the hospitals had Central Sterilization Service Department with 3 zones where automatic washing and disinfection, sorting, packaging, sterilization and storage of medical devices had been performed. The other 20% had CSSD without zones. In more than 65% there were common services for sterilization only. Instruments were delivered already prepared for sterilization. In remaining hospitals all steps, including sterilization were performed in words. According preparation of medical devices for sterilization it was established that mainly chemical disinfection just after use and than manual cleaning was used; the automatic cleaning in washer-disinfectors is used mainly in CSSD. Steam was the preferred method of sterilization, but also low temperature methods were used for heat sensitive devices. The monitoring of sterilization processes was satisfactory. There were first trials of the validation of the sterilization processes. There is still a need for improvement in the sterilization of medical devices, especially including: the organisation of CSSD in all Polish hospitals; replacement of manual cleaning processes by automatic cleaning; organisation of advanced training courses for the heads and staff of the CSSD.

The purpose of the study was to present information about clinical treatment of HIV, HBV and HCV infection seropositive patients. We present indications and principles for hospitalization, conventional and surgical treatment and sterilization methods.

After decontamination, cleaning, maintenance and functional testing, sterilised items must be packed suitably. The package must protect sterilised items against microbial contamination during removal from the sterilising chamber, and during storage or transport until use. The ability of any given pack to withstand penetration by bacteria is termed bacterial barrier efficiency. The assurance to keep the contents of the packaging sterile is determined by quality of the materials and the quality of seals. The research was done to proof the microbial barrier, determined by quality of the packaging materials/systems used to sterilization in hospital practice in Poland. 4 packaging materials and 4 types of containers were tested. In all used methods the growth of microorganisms indicated the lack of the bacterial efficiency, the lack of growth--the bacterial barrier efficiency. It was proved that two tested specialistic sterilization papers, non woven material and specialistic containers (metal with a filter or valve, plastic with a filter) are effective microbial barriers because it was no microorganisms growth. It has been determined that sulphite bleachery paper of 60 g/m2 and Schimmelbusch container do not provide the microbial barrier. Based on the performed studies it has been determined that sulphite bleachery paper and Schimmelbusch container can not be used as sterilization packaging system in sterilization practice in hospitals.

Sterilization is a special process, where the results of processes (efficacy of sterilization) cannot be verified by subsquent inspection and testing of the product (the items sterilized). For this reason sterilization process must be validated. Validation of sterilization processes is required by Medical Devices Directive 93/42 EEC and GMP. Also the sterilization processes in the hospitals shall be validated. The validation of sterilization of processes as described in European Standards: EN 550--for ethylene oxide EN 554--for moist heat.

The European commission produced series of Directives which were aimed at harmonizing the European market whilst maintaining high standards to protect the citizens. Within each directive drafted Essential Requirements which had to be satisfied in order to market throughout Europe. The Medical Device Directive (93/42/EEC) covers the vast majority of medical devices including active non-implantable and non-active implantable medical devices. Demonstration of compliance to harmonized European Standards (EN) was proof of compliance with Essential Requirements of the Directives. The European Standards Body (CEN) created a series of European Standards which would enable to demonstrate compliance with Essential Requirements. The CEN organisation has a pyramidal structure. Standards are produced in the CEN Technical Committees (TC's) composed of representatives from each country's own standards organization. The Technical Committee in turned created a series of Working Groups (WG), who's job it was to actually generate the text of the standards. Two of standards committees are working to generate standards which relate to sterilizers and sterilization: TC102--the standards emanating from this committee are product related, TC 204--the standards relate to sterilization practice. In Poland, the standarisation activity is provide by Polish Committee of Standardisation. From 5th June 1997 operate Problem Commission number 272 for sterilization affairs. The job of the commission consist on translation of European'offs Standards and transform them to Polish Standards. After accede Poland to European Union, Polish hospitals will have to adjust to European Standards.

The assessment of the condition of sterilization of medical supplies in health care settings in Poland was done. The following issues were taken into consideration: preparation of medical supplies for sterilization, methods of sterilization, including used apparatus, and the control systems for monitoring the quality of sterilization process. It was shown that the system of sterilization of medical supplies in Poland is not satisfactory. There is the need for improvement actions, especially including: the change for dry-heat sterilizers to autoclaves; the organization of the centers for sterilization services; the installation of washer-disinfectors, and the wide introduction of monitoring of the quality of sterilization processes with the use of chemical indicators and the periodic control with biological indicators.

The analysis of condition of sterilization of medical supplies in Poland was done. It consider the problem of preparation of medical supplies to sterilization, methods of sterilization and control monitoring system in this matter. The results of this analysis suggest proposition for improving of activities in this field.

The present paper constitutes an integral part of the studies on "Zuławski" cheese quality that have been presented in the first part: "Changes of nitrates in ripening "Zuławski" cheese". Physico-chemical and microbiological assessment of raw and pasteurized milk assigned to cheese production proved that the milk not always was of the highest quality. It was stated that ++saltpeter addition to cheese-making milk by 0.01% and 0.02% does not have an explicit effect on improvement of microbiological quality and organoleptic values of "Zuławski" cheese.