Variability of ATP amount in last rinse water of automated washer-disinfectors demands monitoring of every load

Decontamination processes for medical devices, such as washing, disinfection, and sterilization are essential steps in infection control. The end result of a washing–disinfection process is critical for the next step in decontamination, or for the safe use of a device on a patient in cases where no further decontamination is applied. It would be helpful for daily practice and the development of evidence-based standards if a data set were available to demonstrate the reproducibility of automated washer-disinfectors (AWDs).