Lab Intro & Safety Flashcards
What are opportunistic pathogens to compromised hosts?
Opportunistic pathogens are organisms which normally will not cause disease but which have the potential to cause disease in a compromised host. A compromised host is a host in which the normal defenses are lowered.
When would you be considered “compromised?”
People who are ill, immunocompromised, pregnant, taking antibiotics, taking steroids, receiving Chemotherapy or radiation therapy, for example, are considered “compromised.”
Upon entering Lab what is the first thing you should do?
Disinfecting ones lab bench and putting away prohibited items are the first thing to do upon entering lab
When may you eat or drink in lab?
One may never eat or drink In lab. Only eating or drinking in the hallway is acceptable.
Describe proper lab attire, including shoes
Lab coats and closed toe/heal shoes worn at all times. Long hair is tied back.
Describe safety precautions while staining or working with hazardous chemicals
Safety goggles and gloves must be worn when working with hazardous chemicals
Describe amplification
Amplification is to increase in size or number.
Describe infectious dose
The number of pathogens required to make one sick.
May you leave the bench with a lit Bunsen burner or hot plate that is on?
No
What is the step by step procedure in dealing with a microbial spill?
A. Announce loudly In class that a spill has occurred; stay in place if body/skin/eye exposure didn’t happen.
B. Move to wash station if physical contact occurred (eye wash, body shower).
C. Spray spill area with disinfectant and let it sit for 15 minutes; immediately cover with paper towels.
D. If glass is broken, let instructors clean up (broken glass goes in “kill area.”
E. After 15 minutes, gather paper towels and discard In biohazard bins at end of work benches.
F. Wash hands after cleaning up spill.
How is broken glass cleaned up and disposed of?
Instructors clean up glass and place in special broken glass container.
Describe the proper label for a microbial culture
Use masking tape label and place it on the bottom of the agar plate or glass body of the tube. Include name of organism, K. Adkins, date, MW 0930-1135
Describe the procedure to deal with a fire on your bench
A. Announce the fire
B. Turn off Bunsen burners
C. Smother flame with fire blanket. Have individual stop drop roll on floor and roll into fire blanket.
D. Use fire extinguisher if necessary
E. Don’t handle burning objects with hands
F. Call campus police and evacuate if necessary
What should be done before placing a screw cap in the incubator?
Screw caps must be slightly loosened for ventilation.
What is the kill area?
The kill area is where microbial cultures must be disposed of when finished.
Describe function of autoclave and conditions for am autoclave to run
Autoclaving sterilizes equipment. 121 degrees Celsius/15 psi/15-20 mins.
What microbes will not be inactivated by normal autoclaving conditions?
Conditions will not destroy creutzfeldt-Jakob and “mad cow disease”
How do you dispose of... A. Agar plates B. Screw cap tubes with broth C. Screw cap tubes with agar D. Contaminated serological pipettes
A. Biohazard bins
B. And C. Appropriate racks and bins in kill area.
D. Biohazard bins or special trays
Pasteur pipettes and broken glass are disposed in…
Broken/glass sharps container only.
2 things to do before leaving lab?
Disinfect lab bench and wash hands
What are nosocomial Infections.
Infections acquired at a health care facility.
How many nosocomial infections and deaths occur per year in the US?
2 million infections and 90,000 deaths.
What simple procedure would reduce the prevalence of nosocomial infections?
Proper hand washing could prevent many of these infections and death
