Question | Answer |
aerobe- | a microorganism that needs oxygen to live and grow |
anaerobe- | a microorganism that grows best in the absence of oxygen |
antiseptic- | an agent that inhibits the growth of or kills microorganisms |
asepsis- | free from infection or pathogens; the actions practiced to make and maintain an area or object free from infection or pathogens |
cilia- | slender, hairlike projections that constantly beat toward the outside to remove microorganisms from the body |
contaminate- | to soil or to make impure. an aseptic object becomes "this" when it touches something that is not clean. |
decontamination- | the use of physical or chemical means to remove, inactivate, or destroy pathogens on a surface or item to the point where they are no longer capable of transmitting infectious particles; the surface of item is rendered safe for handling, use, or disposal |
hand hygiene- | the process of cleansing or sanitizing the hand |
infection- | the condition in which the body, or part of it, is invaded by a pathogen |
medical asepsis- | practices that are employed to reduce the number and hinder the transmission of pathogens |
microorganism (MO)- | a microscopic plant or animal |
nonintact skin- | skin that has a break in the surface; includes, but is not limited to, abrasions, cuts, hangnails, paper cuts and burns |
nonpathogen- | a microorganism that does not normally produce disease |
opportunistic infection- | an infection that results from a defective immune system that cannot defend the body from pathogens normally found in the environment |
optimum growth temperature- | the temperature at which an organism grows best |
parenteral- | taken into the body through the piercing of the skin barrier or mucous membranes, such as through needlesticks, human bites, cuts and abrasions |
pathogen- | a disease producing microorganism |
perinatal- | relating to the period shortly before and after birth |
pH- | the degree to which a solution is acidic or basic |
postexposure prophylaxis- | treatment adminstered to an individual after exposure to an infectious disease to prevent the disease |
regulated medical waste (RMW)- | medical waste that poses a threat to health and safety; abbreviated as RMW |
reservoir host- | the organism that becomes infected by a pathogen and serves as a source of transfer of the pathogen to others |
resident flora- | harmless, nonpathogenic microorganisms that normally reside on the skin and usually do not cause disease; also known as normal flora |
susceptible- | easily affected; lacking resistance |
transient flora- | microorganisms that reside on the superficial skin layers and are picked up in the course of daily activities; are often pathogenic but can be removed easily from the skin by sanitizing the hands |