What type of pathogens do sanitizers typically not eliminate?

Sanitizers are primarily designed to reduce the number of microorganisms to a safe level, but they are not effective against all types, particularly spores and prions. Spores, which are a dormant form of certain bacteria, can withstand extreme environmental conditions and are notably resistant to chemical agents, including many sanitizers.

Prions, which cause transmissible spongiform encephalopathies like mad cow disease, are even more resilient and require specific treatments, such as high-temperature sterilization or certain chemical processes, that go beyond the scope of sanitizers. Therefore, because sanitizers do not effectively eliminate these harder-to-kill pathogens, the correct identification of spores and prions as those that sanitizers typically do not eliminate highlights a critical aspect of infection control practices, emphasizing the need for proper cleaning and sterilization methods when dealing with these types of pathogens.