Why is sterilization, not disinfection, recommended for contaminated surgical instruments before it is used on another patient?

Surgical instruments that may enter sterile tissue must be sterilized before reuse. Sterilization destroys all forms of microbial life, including resistant bacterial spores; disinfection may leave some pathogens behind. So C is correct: sterilization kills blood-borne pathogens and spores, not merely most infectious agents.

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