Which item requires high-level disinfection according to infection control guidelines?

High-level disinfection is necessary for items that come into contact with non-intact skin or mucous membranes but do not penetrate sterile tissue. Cadaver tissue, which can be a source of potential pathogens and is classified as a semi-critical item, requires this level of disinfection to ensure that harmful microorganisms are eliminated and to protect both patients and healthcare providers from infection.

Infection control guidelines specify that high-level disinfection is appropriate for items like cadaver tissue because these items may harbor bacteria and viruses that can survive standard cleaning protocols, thus necessitating more rigorous disinfection methods. This ensures that any risk of transmission is minimized, especially in environments where surgical or medical procedures involving mucous membranes occur.

Other choices such as hand sanitizer, non-critical instruments, and low-level disinfectants do not require high-level disinfection due to their categorization or intended use. Hand sanitizers are designed for skin application and do not undergo any level of disinfection in the same sense; non-critical instruments are typically disinfected using low-level techniques because they touch only intact skin; low-level disinfectants are intended for surfaces that are not likely to be contaminated with pathogens that require high-level disinfection.