What does sterilization failure refer to in the context of medical safety?

Sterilization failure specifically indicates that the sterilization process has not achieved the intended result of eradicating all viable microorganisms, including hard-to-kill spores. In this context, when spores in the test strips are not destroyed, it signifies that the sterilization process was ineffective. The presence of live spores in test strips acts as a biological indicator; if they survive the sterilization cycle, it demonstrates a failure in the system, which could pose significant risks for patient safety in medical settings.

Other factors like expired sterilization products, lack of qualified personnel, and improperly cleaned instruments relate to the overall sterilization process but do not directly indicate a failure to sterilize. For example, expired products might not be effective, but they do not provide a direct measurement of the sterilization process's success or failure. Similarly, while the lack of qualified personnel can contribute to procedural errors, it doesn't reflect an immediate failure of the sterilization itself. Improperly cleaned instruments could lead to contamination, but that is a separate issue from the actual act of sterilization. Thus, the survival of spores in test strips directly correlates to the failure of achieving sterilization.