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Tuberculocidal (TB claim) disinfectant

Also called: intermediate-level disinfectant, TB-claim product, List B product

A surface disinfectant tested to kill tuberculosis germs; the dental workhorse.

A product with a TB claim has been shown to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a hard-to-kill germ. CDC calls these intermediate-level disinfectants. The EPA keeps a list of them (List B). TB is used as a toughness benchmark, so a TB claim tells you the product is fairly strong.

How to spot it

  • The word tuberculocidal, or a TB or Mycobacterium tuberculosis claim with its own contact time on the label.

What it is used for

  • Use it whenever a surface is visibly contaminated with blood, and on reusable items such as sensors after barrier removal.
  • Follow the TB contact time on the label, which may be longer than the time for other germs.

Safety and care

  • Same PPE as other surface disinfectants; read the SDS.

Related

Sources: CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings, 2003. MMWR 2003;52(RR-17), EPA. List B: EPA's Registered Tuberculocide Products Effective Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis