Sterilization of syringes and needles for immunization programmes using a pressure cooker.

Pressure cookers are being widely used for sterilizing equipment in small clinics and hospitals and under 'field conditions' in developing countries, especially in India. In the literature there is no report on testing of pressure cookers (PC) to determine if they sterilize adequately. The use of PC for a 15-min 'holding time' after steam starts to emanate from under the weight is quite satisfactory by standard efficacy testing methods for autoclaves.