Chapter 16. Infection Control Flashcards
Asepsis
freedom from infection
Bacteria
prokaryotic, ubiquitous, single-celled organisms.
Chemotherapy
treatment of disease by chemical agents.
Cyst
stage in the life cycle of certain parasites during which they are enclosed in a protective wall.
Dimorphic
occurring in two distinct forms.
Diseases
deviations from or interruptions of the normal structure or function of any part.
Disinfectants
chemicals used to free an environment from pathogenic organisms or to render such organisms inert, especially as applied to the treatment of inanimate materials to reduce or eliminate infectious organisms.
Eukaryotes
organisms whose cells have a true nucleus.
Flora
microbial community found on or in a healthy person.
Fomite
object, such as a book, wooden object, or article of clothing, that is not in itself harmful but is able to harbor pathogenic microorganisms and thus may serve as an agent of transmission of an infection.
Fungi
general term used to denote a group of eukaryotic protists — including mushrooms, yeasts, rusts, molds, and smuts,– that are characterized by the absence of chlorophyll and by the presence of a rigid cell wall.
Host
animal or plant that harbors or nourishes another organism.
Iatrogenic
resulting from the activities of physicians.
Immunity
security against a particular disease.
Infection
invasion and multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues that may be clinically inapparent or may result in local cellular injury as a result of competitive metabolism, toxins, intracellular replication, or antigen-antibody response.
Medical Asepsis
reduction in numbers of infectious agents, which, in turn, decreases the probability of infection but does not necessarily reduce it to zero.
Microorganisms
microscopic organisms; those of medical interest include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa.
Nosocomial
pertaining to or originating in the hospital; said of an infection not present or incubating before admittance to the hospital but generally developing 72 hours after admittance.
Pathogens
disease-producing microorganisms
Prokaryotes
cellular organisms that lack a true nucleus
Protozoa
a subkingdom comprising the simplest organisms of the animal kingdom, consisting of unicellular organisms that range in size from submicroscopic to macroscopic; most are free living, but some lead commensalistic, mutualistic, or parasitic existences.
Reservoir
alternate or passive host or carrier that harbors pathogenic organisms, without injury to itself, and serves as a source from which other individuals can be infected.
Standard Precautions
precautions to prevent the transmission of disease by body fluids and substances.
Sterilization
complete destruction or elimination of all living microorganisms, accomplished by physical methods, (dry or moist heat) chemical agents (ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, alcohol), radiation (ultraviolet, cathode), or mechanical methods (filtration).
Surgical Asepsis
procedure used to prevent contamination by microbes and endospores before, during, or after surgery using sterile technique.
Vaccine
suspension of attenuated or killed microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, or rickettsiae) administered for the prevention, improvement, or treatment of infectious disease.
Vector
carrier, especially an animal (usually an arthropod), that transfers an infective agent from one host to another.
Virion
complete viral particle found extracellularly and capable of surveying in crystalline form and infecting a living cell; comprises the nucleoid (genetic material) and the capsid; also call viral particle.
Viruses
any of a group of minute infectious agents not resolved in the light microscope, with certain exceptions (e.g., poxvirus) and characterized by a lack of independent metabolism and by the ability to replicate only with living host cells.
Microorganisms that cause infectious diseases can be classified as
Pathogenic
The best method of preventing the spread of aerosol infections is by
the patient’s wearing a mask
All of the following are types of indirect transmission except
touching
The common cold is an example of an infection by a
virus
The term that best describes the absolute removal of all life forms is
sterilization
A person is bitten by a mosquito and develops an infection. This type of transmission is known as
vector
A health care worker is accidentally punctured with a contaminated needle. This type of transmission is known as
fomite
An outpatient develops a staphylococcal infection after a surgical procedure. This type of transmission is known as
Nosocomial
An infectious microbe can gain entrance into the human body by
Ingression and Penetration
Hand washing employs which of the following methods of infection control?
Chemical and physical.
