Clinical Microbiology Exam 1

Front 1

Preservatives

Back 1

boric acid - for urine

PVA and buffered formalin - for ova and parasites (stool)

Stuarts and Amies - holding medium - prevents overgrowth or death of pathogens, may have charcoal to absorb fatty acids that are toxic to some bacteria

anticoagulants - prevent clotting of specimens like blood, synovial fuid, etc. (SPS) Sodium polyantheol sulfunate usually used - ratio of anticogulant to specimen important

Front 2

Specimen Storage

Back 2

urine, stool, sputum, - store at 4 degrees Celsius

csf - at room temp or 37 degrees

anaerobes, GC - store at room temp (do not refrigerate)

Front 3

Specimen Rejection

Back 3

info on label doesn't match sample

transported at wrong temp

not in proper medium (anaerobic culture submitted in aerobic transport)

leaking

transport time exceeds 2 hours

received in fixative that kills micro-organisms

dried out

Front 4

sterilization

Back 4

process whereby all forms of microbial life, including bacterial spores are killed - can be accomplished by physical or chemical means

Front 5

disinfection

Back 5

process whereby pathogenic organisms, but not necessarily all micro-organsism or spores are destroyed - can also be by physical or chemical means

Front 6

Physical means of sterilization:

Back 6

incineration, moist heat, dry heat, filtration, ionizing radiation

Front 7

Chemical means of sterilization:

Back 7

ethylene oxide - most common - used in gas form
glutaraldehyde - used for medical equipment - doesn't corrode lenses, metal or rubber
peracetic acid - used for surgical instruments

Front 8

Physical methods of disinfection:

Back 8

1. Boiling at 100 degrees celsius for 15 minutes which kills vegetative bacteria
2. Pasteurizing at 63 degrees celsius for 30 minutes or 72 degrees for 15 seconds which kills food pathogens
3. using non-ionizing radiation such at ultraviolet light

Front 9

quality control

Back 9

internal activities that ensure diagnostic test accuracy

Front 10

quality assurance

Back 10

external activities that ensure positive patient outcomes

Front 11

most common nosocomial infections are:

Back 11

Urinary tract infection - 33% - usually E. coli
Pneumoniae - 15% - gram negative rod, staph aureus, etc.
surgical site - 15% - gram positive, gram negatives and then yeast
blood stream - 15% - gram positive