TEST #2-CHAPTERS 5,6,7 Flashcards
Define sterilization
The complete destruction or removal of ALL forms of microbial life, including the highly resistant and dormant endospores.
- can be achieved by physical (heat, radiation, filtration) or chemical methods
- absolute value
Define disinfection
The destruction of vegetative pathogens on non-living objects and surfaces.
Define commercial sterilization
sufficient heating of canned food enough to kill the heat sensitive endospores of Clostridium Botulinum. Any endospores of thermophilic bacteria that my survive won’t germinate under normal storage conditions.
Define antisepsis
The destruction of vegetative pathogens on living tissue (skin, mucous membranes)
Define mucous membranes
Membranes that line body openings, including the intestinal tract, open to the exterior; also called mucosa.
Define degerming
Physically removing microorganisms from a limited area of the skin, a mechanical removal with soap and water; a alcohol pad.
Define sanitization
Treatment intended to lower microbial counts on eating and drinking utensils (restaurant, café, cafeteria, diner) to safe public health levels.
- Usually accomplished by high-temperature washing or washing in a sink followed by a dip in a chemical disinfectant.
Define biocide (germicide)
- General methods that kill microorganisms
or - Treatments that cause the death of microbes
Define fungicide
Kills fungi
Define sporocide
- Kills endospores
or - Kills highly resistant endospores
Define virucide
Destroys, inactivates viruses
Define bacteriocide (bactericidal)
- Kills bacteria
or - Treatments that kill bacteria
Define bacteriostatic
Treatments that only inhibit (prevents) growth and multiplication of bacteria, once the agent is removed growth resumes.
What is sepsis?
- Decay or purification
- Bacterial contamination
- Presence of bacteria in normally sterile tissues of the body
- Presence of bacteria in blood actively multiplying
What are the factors that influence the rate of Microbial growth?
- The number of microorganisms, the more microorganisms there are the longer it takes to remove them.
- Environmental Influences- the presence of organic material (food; bodily fluids) can weaken, neutralizes many of the physical and chemical methods used to control microbial growth.
- Time of exposure- enough time needed to work
121 C (245 F)= 15 psi= 15 min
- if using chemical methods to control microbial growth time of exposure depends on temperature. - Microbial Characteristics affect the choice of physical and chemical control methods.
Most Resistant:
*** Endospores- highly resistant resting structures that some bacteria (Gram positive bacilli) make in response to harsh environmental conditions.
** Mycobacteria- actively growing cells, have a thick waxy wall.
* Gram Negative bacteria- have thin cell walls, have an outer lipid membrane, are external to cell wall, acts as a water-proof barrier.
Least Resistant:
Gram positive bacteria- have thick cell walls, DO NOT have an external lipid membrane to their cells walls, or thick waxy cell walls.
What are the actions of microbial control agents on bacterial (prokaryotes)?
- Alteration of membrane permeability
* damage to cell membrane and loss of selective permeability results from damage to cell walls. - Damage to proteins denature as inactive proteins.
- Damage to nucleic acids.
Define denaturation
The loss of a protein’s specific (functional) 3-dimensional shape due to the breaking of the weak hydrogen bonds that kept it in its functional shape.
–hydrogen bonds and denaturation occurs by physical means.–
What are the physical methods of microbial control?
- Heat
– 2 types of Moist heat sterilization:
A. boiling
B. Autoclave - Pasteurization
- Dry heat sterilization
- Filtration
- Low temperatures
- Desiccation
- Osmotic pressure
- Radiation
Heat
Kills microorganisms by denaturing their enzymes, resistance varies among different microbes; used for sterilization and preserving canned goods.
- moist heat sterilization kills microorganisms primarily by coagulating proteins (denaturation) 1. Boiling- kills vegetative forms of bacterial pathogens 2. Autoclave- uses steam under pressure; the higher the pressure, the higher the temperature; used to sterilize
Pasteurization
A mild brief heating of a liquid such as milk, wine, beer, cider, sufficient to kill the organisms that cause spoilage, or disease, without seriously damaging the taste of the product. Lowers microbial numbers
Dry heat sterilization
Kills by oxidizing effects, flaming, incineration, hot-air sterilization
Filtration
The passage of a liquid or gas through a screen-like material with pores small enough to retain microorganisms. Used to sterilize heat- sensitive materials, such as culture media, enzymes, vaccines, and antibiotic solutions.
Low temperatures
The effect of temperatures on microorganisms depends on the particular microbe and t intensity of the application. Ordinary refrigeration has a bacteriostatic effect. Psychotrophs do grow slowly at refrigerator temperatures.
Desiccation
In the absence of water, microorganisms cannot grow or reproduce but can remain viable for years. Lyophilization or freeze- drying is a process for preserving microbes.
Osmotic pressure
The use of high concentrations of salts and sugars to preserve food.
Radiations
Has various effects on cells, depending on its wavelength, intensity and duration. Kills microorganisms. There are 2 types:
- Ionizing
- Nonionizing
Ionizing radiation
- Gamma rays, X-rays
- Short wavelengths, less than 1 nm
- Carries much more energy
- Very penetrating
- Causes ionization of water, which forms highly reactive hydroxyl free radicals.
- Radicals react with organic cellular components, especially DNA
Nonionizing radiation
- longer wavelengths, greater than 1nm
- Ultraviolet light
- UV light damages the DNA of exposed cells
- This damage inhibits the correct replication of the DNA during reproduction of the cell
- The UV wavelengths most effective for killing microorganisms are about 260 nm
- These wavelengths are specifically absorbed by cellular DNA
- A major disadvantage of UV light is that the radiation is not very penetrating (longer wavelengths have less energy)
What are the chemical methods of microbial control?
- Principles of effective disinfection
- Types of disinfectants
- phenol
- phenolics
- bisphenols
- halogens
- alcohols
- heavy metals and their compounds
- surface-active agents
- quaternary ammonium compounds
- aldehydes
- chemical sterilization
- peroxygens
What are the principles of effective disinfection?
- concentration of a disinfectant affects its action
- the nature of the material being disinfected (the presence of organic material)
- the pH of the medium often has a great effect on a disinfectant’s activity
- whether the disinfectant will make easy contact with the microbes
- amount of time, and the surrounding temperature
Phenol
- 1st widely used disinfectant for surgery
- 1st used by Joseph Lister in 1865; his source was carbolic acid
- mechanism of action is the disruption of plasma membrane, denaturation of enzymes
- used now as a standard of comparison for other disinfectants (phenol coefficient)
- rarely used now because of its irritating qualities and disagreeable odor
Phenolics
- Derivatives of phenol that have been chemically altered to reduce its irritating qualities
- Exerts antimicrobial activity by injuring lipid-containing plasma membranes (especially the mycobacterium) and denatures proteins
- Reactive even in the presence of organic material
- Lysol and cresol (surface disinfectants) are examples
Bisphenols
- Derivatives of phenol that contains 2 phenolic groups connected by a bridge (bis)
- Hexachlorophene (pHisoHex) is used for surgical and hospital microbial control procedures
- G+ Staph and Strep are susceptible to hexachlorophene
- Excessive use of this bisphenol in bathing infants can lead to neurological damage
- Triclosan, another widely used bisphenol in antibacterial soaps, toothpaste, cutting boards, knife handles
- Widespread use has lead to resistant bacteria
- Action is the disruption of the cell membrane
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a G- bacteria, is very resistant to triclosan
Halogens
- iodine and chlorine are effective antimicrobial agents
- iodine is 1 of the oldest and most effective antiseptics
- iodine is active against all kinds of bacteria, many endospores, some fungi, and some viruses.
- iodine, a strong oxidizing agent, impairs protein synthesis, alters cell membranes.
- tincture- an aqueous solution of iodine in alcohol
- iodophore- a combination of iodine and an organic molecule which releases iodine slowly. Does not stain and is less irritating.
- chlorine is another widely used disinfectant; its germicidal action is caused by hypochlorous acid that forms when chlorine is added to water.
- hypochlorous acid is a strong oxidizing agent prevents cellular enzymes from functioning
- calcium hypochlorite (chloride of lime used by Semmelweiss in 1840’s)
- sodium hypochlorite (bleach)
Alcohols
- kills bacteria and fungi but not endospores
- the mechanism of action is usually protein denaturation, but it can also disrupt membranes and dissolve lipids.
- alcohols evaporate quickly and leave no residue
- most of the microbial control activity come from wiping away dirt and microorganisms, along with skin oils.
- alcohols are unsatisfactory antiseptics when applied to wounds they can cause coagulation of proteins under which bacteria continue to grow
Heavy metals and their compounds
- several heavy metals can be biocidal or antiseptic, including silver, mercury, copper
- oligodynamic action
- this effect is produced by the action of heavy metal ions on microbes
Define oligodynamic action
The ability of very small amounts of heavy metals, especially silver and copper to exert antimicrobial activity
Surface active agents (Surfactants)
- Decrease surface tension among molecules of liquid
- Agents include soaps and detergents
- Soap has little value as an antiseptic, but it does have an important function in the mechanical removal of microbes through scrubbing (degermers)
- Soap breaks the oily film on skin into tiny droplets (emulsification) lifting up the emulsified oil and debris
Quaternary ammonium compounds
- strongly bactericidal against G+ bacteria, but much less active against G- bacteria
- Fungicidal, amoebicidal, virucidal, but does not kill endospores or mycobacteria
- affects the plasma membrane
- colorless, odorless, tasteless, stable, easily diluted, nontoxic
- organic matter interferes with their activity
Aldehydes
- effective antimicrobials
- Ex. formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, formalin (37% aqueous solution of fomaldehyde gas)
- inactivates proteins by forming covalent cross-links with several organic functional groups on proteins
- formalin was once used to preserve biological specimens and inactivates bacteria and viruses in vaccines
- glutaraldehyde is one of the few liquid chemical disinfectants that can be considered a sterilizing agent