Which disinfectants are proven to kill the bacterium that causes tuberculosis and are often referred to as phenolics?

• A. Phenolic Disinfectants
• B. Quaternary Ammonium Disinfectants
• C. Alcohol-based Disinfectants
• D. Tuberculocidal Disinfectants

Answer: (D)

Disinfectants are labeled by what tough microbes they can kill, and the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is one of the hardest to eradicate. Only products that are proven to kill this organism are called tuberculocidal. This category is the best answer because it directly denotes effectiveness against TB. The reference to phenolics describes a common type of tuberculocidal agents, but the label tuberculocidal identifies the required level of effectiveness against the TB bacterium. The other options refer to broad classes that aren’t guaranteed to be tuberculocidal, so they don’t meet the specific requirement of proven TB kill.