Final Exam

Front 1

Decontamination

Back 1

destroying or removing microbes

Front 2

Physical agents

Back 2

heat (dry or moist), radiation

Front 3

Chemical agents

Back 3

disinfectants, antiseptics

Front 4

Mechanical removal methods

Back 4

filtration sanitization

Front 5

What are some examples of highest resistance microbes?

Back 5

prions, bacterial endospores

Front 6

What are some examples of moderate resistance microbes?

Back 6

protozoan cysts, some viruses, hepatitis B virus, poliovirus, some vegetative bacterial cells

Front 7

What are some examples of least resistance microbes?

Back 7

most bacterial vegetative cells, ordinary fungal spores, and hyphae, enveloped viruses, trophozoites

Front 8

Sterilization

Back 8

process that destroys or removes all viable microorganisms including bacterial endospores

Front 9

Microbicide

Back 9

-cide means "to kill"; agent designed to kill microbes

Microbicides --> bactericide, fungicide, virucide, sporicide (endospores)

Front 10

What are examples of microbicides?

Back 10

bactericide, fungicide, virucide, sporicide (endospores)

Front 11

Microbistasis

Back 11

stasis, static - "to stand still"; microbes prevented from multiplying but not killed

e.g. using a refrigerator or freezer

Microbistasis --> bacteriostatic, fungistatic --> food preservatives; often organic acis

Front 12

Germicide

Back 12

any chemical agent that kills pathogenic microorganisms - can be used on living tissue or nonliving materials

Front 13

Disinfection

Back 13

physical process or chemical agent to destroy vegetative pathogens but not endospores - used on inanimate surfaces - like bleach, boiling

Front 14

Sepsis

Back 14

growth of microorganisms in the body or microbial toxins in blood or other tissues

Front 15

Antisepsis, antiseptic

Back 15

"against infections" chemical agents applied directly to body surfaces to destroy or inhibit vegetative pathogens - swabbing with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide

Front 16

Asepsis

Back 16

any practice that prevents the entry of infectious agents into sterile tissues

Front 17

Aseptic technique

Back 17

preventing the introduction of contaminating organisms into cultures, patients or ourselves

Front 18

What are methods of reducing numbers of microbes?

Back 18

Sanitization & Degermation

Front 19

Sanitization

Back 19

cleansing technique that mechanically removes microbes to reduce the level of contaminants - washing dishes

Front 20

Degermation

Back 20

technique to reduce the number of microbes on human skin - scrubbing skin or chemical agents or both. Surgical scrub, alcohol wipes

Front 21

Microbial Death

Back 21

the permanent loss of reproductive capability, even under optimum growth conditions

Front 22

Death rate varies

Back 22

-younger, actively growing, more susceptible
-older, inactive, more time

Front 23

List factors which affect death rates of microbes.

Back 23

1) Number of microbes
2) Nature of microbes in population, mixtures (larger the mixture --> longer)
3) Temperature and pH of environment
4) Concentration of agent - disinfectants more active at high concentrations (higher concentration --> faster)
5) Mode of action of agent (targets disruption of cell membrane, or other)
6) Presence of other substances - solvents, organic material - saliva, blood, feces (more of these - slower)

Front 24

What are the modes of action in how antimicrobials work?

Back 24

1) Cell wall
2) Cell membrane
3) Cellular synthetic processes (DNA, RNA, or protein production)
4) Proteins

Front 25

Describe the Cell Wall Mode of action in regard to how antimicrobials work.

Back 25

Cell Wall - structural integrity - types of damage - blocking its synthesis, digesting, breaking down surface (penicillin)

- detergents, alcohol in gram negative bacteria

Front 26

Describe the Cell Membrane Mode of action in regard to how antimicrobials work.

Back 26

Loss of selective permeability - substances leak in or leak out - cell death

- surfactants - open up membranes

Front 27

Describe the Nucleic Acid and Protein Production Mode of action in regard to how antimicrobials work.

Back 27

Agents that interfere with replication of DNA, transcription and translation - certain antibiotics - chloramphenicol - peptide bonds; mutagens such as radiation

Front 28

Describe the Protein Function Mode of action in regard to how antimicrobials work.

Back 28

Agents that denature proteins - moist heat; alcohols, acids that coagulate proteins; substances that affect active site of protein or enzyme - metallic ions.

Front 29

What are some practical considerations when considering the physical and chemical control of microbes?

Back 29

1) Sterilization or disinfection?
2) Item to be reused or permanently discarded?
3) If reused, what can it withstand?
4) Control method suitable for given application?
5) Will agent penetrate to necessary extent?
6) Method cost and labor efficient? Safe?