Chapter 9 Flashcards
(105 cards)
Process that destroys or removes all viable microorganisms (including viruses)
Sterilization
Examples of sterilizing agents
Heat (autoclave)
Sterilants (chemical agents capable of destroying endospores)
Physical process or a chemical agent that destroys vegetative pathogens but not bacterial endospores; removes harmful products of microorganisms (toxins) from material
Disinfection
Examples of disinfection agents
Bleach
Iodine
Heat (boiling)
Cleansing technique that mechanically removes microorganisms as well as other debris to reduce contamination to safe levels
*important to restaurants, dairies, breweries, and other commercial entities
Contamination/Sanitization
Examples of contamination/sanitization agents
soaps
detergents
commercial dishwashers
Reduces the number of microbes on the human skin; a form of decontamination but on LIVING tissues
Antisepsis/Degermation
Examples of antisepsis/degermation agents
alcohol
surgical hand scrub
Microbe that is extraordinarily resistant to heat and chemicals
prions
toughest form of microbial life
bacterial endospores
chemical that destroys bacteria except those in the endospore stag
Bactericide
having the capacity to kill bacteria is __________
having the capacity to interfere with bacteria reproduction is _______
- bactericidal
2. bacteristatic
a chemical that can kill fungal spores, hyphae, and yeasts
fungicide
any chemical known to inactivate viruses, especially on living tissue
virucide
an agent capable of destroying bacterial endospores
sporicide
an agent lethal to non-endospore-forming pathogens
germicide
chemicals that kill microorganisms
microbicides
defined as the growth of microorganisms in the blood and other tissues
sepsis
refers to any practice that prevents the entry of infectious agents into sterile tissues and therefore prevents infection
asepsis
a growth-inhibiting agent used on tissues to prevent infection
antiseptic
agents that prevent the growth of bacteria on tissues or on objects in the environment.
bacterisatic
medical devices that are expected to come into contact with sterile tissue, ie. syringe needle or artificial hip
; must be sterilized
Critical medical devices
medical devices that come into contact with mucosal membranes, ie. endoscopy tube
; must receive high-level disinfection and preferably sterilization
semicritical medical devices
medical devices that do not touch the patient or are only expected to touch intact skin, ie. blood pressure cuffs or crutches
; require low level disinfection (unless they become contaminated with blood or body fluids)
noncritical medical devices