What is a common indicator used to ensure sterilization has occurred?

A common indicator used to ensure sterilization has occurred is a biological indicator. Biological indicators contain live bacterial spores that are highly resistant to the sterilization process. After the sterilization cycle, these indicators are cultured to check for growth. If there is no growth, it confirms that the sterilization process was successful and effective at killing resistant bacteria.

While chemical indicators can indicate that certain conditions for sterilization have been met, they do not provide a definitive measure of whether the process was effective in killing microorganisms. Radiation markers and heat sensors are not standard practices for confirming sterilization in electrology and medical settings. On the other hand, biological indicators provide a more reliable and validated method to verify the sterility of equipment and instruments, making them a crucial part of infection control protocols.