Vegatative bacteria are devoid of spores and usually can be readily inactivated by many types of germicides. Infection control procedures (like sterilization) are often designed to kill both vegetative bacteria and spores. Disinfection may kill vegetative forms, but not spores, so sterilization is needed for invasive instruments.
Additional Information: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/glossary.html