Question | Answer |
aerobe | a microorganism that needs oxygern to live and grow |
anaerobe | a microrganism that grows best in the absence of oxygen |
antiseptic | an agent that inhibits the growth of or kills mircoorganisims |
asepsis | free from infection or pathogens; the actions practiced to make and maintain an area or object free from infectin or pathogens. |
cilia | slender,hairlike projections that constantly beat toward the outside to remove microorganisms form the body. |
contaminate | to soil or to make impure. an aseptic object becomes "this" when it tounches something that is not clean |
decomtamination | 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 or item is rendered safe for handling, use or disposal. |
hand hygine | the process of cleansing or sanitizing the hands. |
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 | a microscopic plant or animal |
nonintact skin | skin that has a break in the surface. it 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 taht results form a defective immune system that cannot defent the body from pathogens normally found in the enviroment. |
optimum growth temperature | the temperature at whick an organism grows best. |
parenteral | taken into the body through the piercing of the skin barrier or mucous menbranes, such as through needlesticks, human bites, cuts and abrasions. |
pathogen | a disease-producing microorganism |
perinatal | relating to the period shortly before and after birth. |
postexposure prophylaxis | treatment administered to an individual after exposure to an infectious disease to prevent the disease. |
regulated medical waste | medical waste that posses a threat to healh and saftey |
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; aslo known as normal flora. |
susceptible | easily affected; lacking resistance |
transient flora | mircoorganisms that reside on the superficial skin layers and are picked up in the course of daily activities. they are often pathogenic but can be removed easily from the skin by sanitizing the hands. |