Limited Virucidal Activity
Term introduced by the Robert Koch Institute in 2004 to describe the effectiveness of a disinfection method against the totality of enveloped viruses including HBV (hepatitis B virus), HCV (hepatitis C virus) and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Disinfectants with limited virucidal activity are disinfectants that effectively inactivate the defined test viruses vacciniavirus and BVDV (bovine viral diarrhea virus) as surrogate virus for HCV.

Disinfection
Killing or irreversible inactivation of pathogenic germs on and in contaminated objects and the interruption of infection chains. In Germany effective disinfectants must demonstrate a germ reduction rate of at least 5 log stages (e.g. from 100,000 germs to 1 germ per ml).

DGHM List
A list published by the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology (DGHM) containing disinfectants found to be effective and having a valid certificate from the DGHM with specification of the concentrations and action times.

Epidemic
Unusually high instances of a disease within a population group, mostly infectious diseases such as influenza, cholera, etc.

German Infection Prevention Act (IfSG)
Law to prevent and fight infectious diseases in humans. The purpose of this law is to prevent transmittable diseases in humans, to identify infections early and to prevent their spread.

Disaster
A damaging event that goes far beyond the extent of damaging events in everyday life. Disasters significantly threaten or restrict the life and health of a large number of people, considerable property assets and/or vital services for the population.

Disaster Protection
In Germany disaster protection is the responsibility of the individual states. Disaster protection entails all measures needed to protect life, health and the environment in a disaster, e.g. development of disaster management plans as well as prevention and clearing of damage. The measures are implemented by public organizations such as the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW) and fire brigades as well as private organizations such as the German Red Cross (DRK) and the German Life Saving Association (DLRG).

Pandemic
Cross-border or worldwide outbreak of a disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) distinguishes between six phases:

• Phase 1: A new subtype of virus has been discovered in animals without there being a danger to humans.
• Phase 2: A new subtype of virus that could be dangerous to humans has been discovered in animals.
• Phase 3: Start of the alert period:  Isolated human infections, but no human-to-human transmission or at most rare instances of human-to-human spread in cases of close contact.
• Phase 4: Small, localized clusters of infections with limited human-to-human transmission, suggesting that the virus is not well adapted to humans.
• Phase 5: Substantial pandemic risk:  Larger, but still isolated clusters of infections with localized human-to-human transmission, suggesting that the virus is becoming increasingly better adapted to humans, but may not yet be fully transmissible from human to human.
• Phase 6: Pandemic period:  Increased and sustained transmission from human to human in the general population.

Guideline of the DGHM
(German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology)
Defines the testing of the efficacy of chemical disinfectants against bacteria and fungi for the field of human medicine.

Guideline of the DVG
(German Veterinary Society)
Defines the testing of chemical disinfectants for efficacy against bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasitic spores in the fields of veterinary medicine and foodstuffs.

RKI List
List of disinfectants and disinfection methods found to be effective by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI - formerly the German Health Agency) in officially directed disinfection. Compared to the DGHM List, the test requirements are a little stricter.

Virucide
According to the RKI Recommendation, German Federal Health Gazette 01-2004, virucidal disinfectants are effective against enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. The defined viruses for these tests are vacciniavirus (enveloped virus) and the non-enveloped viruses adenovirus, papovavirus and poliovirus.