Microbial Control: Containment, Sterilization, and Treatment Effects

All flashcards

Fomite

An inanimate object that can harbor microorganisms and contribute to their transmission.

Critical item

An item that enters sterile tissue or the bloodstream and must be sterile.

Sterilant

A chemical capable, with adequate exposure, of sterilizing materials.

Aseptic technique

Procedures that maintain sterility and help prevent contamination.

Decimal reduction time (D-value)

The time required under specified conditions to reduce a microbial population by 90%.

Quiz questions

1. Which best describes an antiseptic?Answer: An antimicrobial chemical formulated for use on living tissue.
2. Why is commercial food sterilization sometimes called quasi-sterilization?Answer: It targets food safety but may leave some nonpathogenic microorganisms alive.
3. Which airflow feature is characteristic of a BSL-3 facility?Answer: Air moves from cleaner areas toward potentially contaminated areas and is not recirculated.
4. What does the decimal reduction time measure?Answer: The time needed for a 90% population reduction under specified conditions.
5. Which category of clinical item enters sterile tissue or the bloodstream and must be sterile?Answer: Critical items.