Exam 2: Topic 12

Question 1

Differentiate between the terms ‘sterilizer’, ‘disinfectant’, ‘antiseptic’, and
‘sanitizer’. Which one is the easiest to achieve?

Answer 1

• Sterilizer: kills all forms of microbial life, including endospores exception of prions.
• Disinfectant: kills most microbes (usually up to Acid fast bacteria); does not kill spores.
• Antiseptic: chemical agent that reduces or stops the growth of microorganisms on the outside of the body.
Sanitizer: reduced # of microbes.

Question 2

What is the difference between the suffixes “-cide” and “-static” (e.g. if an agent
is classified as bactericidal vs bacteriostatic….what does that mean?)

Answer 2

• –Cide: substance that kills bacteria or prevents their growth and proliferation
• –Static: prevents bacterial growth without killing them

Question 3

Define the term ‘viability’ as it applies to microorganisms. Why is ‘viable’ a better word than ‘alive’?

Answer 3

Alive” means having life or being not dead, while “viability” means the ability to live, grow, and develop.