Chemical Control of Microbial Growth

Question 1

➢agents that kill viruses

Answer 1

Viricidal

Question 1

➢agents that kill bacteria

Answer 1

Bactericidal

Question 2

➢agents that kill fungi

Answer 2

Fungicidal

Question 3

an agent that inhibits bacterial
growth

Answer 3

Bacteriostatic

Question 4

an agent that inhibits fungal
growth

Answer 4

Fungistatic

Question 5

an agent that inhibits the
growth of viruses

Answer 5

Viristatic

Question 6

➢a chemical agent that destroys all forms of microbial life, including
endospores.
* used for decontamination or sterilization in situations where it is
impractical or impossible to use heat or radiation.

Answer 6

Sterilant

Question 7

➢employs gases such as ethylene oxide or aldehydes such as formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde to sterilize heat-sensitive materials such as thermometers, lensed instruments, polyethylene tubing, catheters, and reusable medical and dental equipment

Answer 7

Cold sterilization

Question 8

➢ chemical that kill microorganisms but not necessarily endospores and are primarily used on surfaces

Answer 8

Disinfectant

Question 9

➢a chemical agent that destroys all forms of microbial life

Answer 9

Disinfectant

Question 10

➢an agent that reduces microorganisms to a safe level, but may not eliminate them

Answer 10

Sanitizer

Question 11

➢ widely used in the food industry to treat surfaces such as mixing and cooking equipment, dishes, and utensils, and are also used for dry hand washing when water is unavailable.

Answer 11

Sanitizer

Question 12

➢ a chemical agent that kills or inhibits growth of microorganisms and is sufficiently nontoxic to be applied to living tissue

Answer 12

Antiseptic (germicide)

Question 13

➢used for hand washing or for treating surface wounds

Answer 13

Antiseptic (germicide)

Question 14

can be both an antiseptic and a disinfectant, depending on the concentration and exposure time employed

Answer 14

Ethanol

Question 15

In 1928, __________ observed that the growth of the bacterium _____________ was inhibited in the area surrounding the colony of a mold that had contaminated a Petri plate.

Answer 15

Alexander Fleming; Staphylococcus aureus

Question 16

➢an antimicrobial agent, usually produced naturally by a bacterium or fungus.

Answer 16

Antibiotic

Question 17

The mold Alexander Fleming identified was __________, and its active compound, which was isolated a short time later, was named _________.

Answer 17

Penicillium notatum; penicillin

Question 18

➢antibiotics that affect a broad range of gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria.

Answer 18

Broad-spectrum Antibiotics

Question 19

Antimicrobial drugs are either:

Answer 19

bactericidal or bacteriostatic

Question 20

Antimicrobial drugs target certain essential functions
of the microbe. Mechanisms of action include:

Answer 20

✓inhibiting cell wall synthesis
✓ inhibiting protein synthesis
✓inhibiting nucleic acid synthesis
✓ injuring the plasma membrane
✓inhibiting synthesis of essential metabolites

Question 21

➢occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of these medicines

Answer 21

Antibiotic resistance

Question 22

There are only a few mechanisms of microbial resistance to antimicrobial agents:

Answer 22

✓blocking the drug’s entry into the cell;
✓inactivation of the drug by enzymes;
✓alteration of the drug’s target site;
✓efflux of the drug from the cell; or
✓alteration of the metabolic pathways of the
host.

Question 23

Antimicrobial activity can be measured by
determining the smallest amount of the agent
needed to inhibit the growth of a test organism, a
value called the…

Answer 23

minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)