Asepsis

• Asepsis -A term used to describe freedom from infection or infectious materials.
• Pathogenicity - ability of microorganisms to enter and survive in the host.
• Clean refers to the absence of almost all microorganisms.
• Dirty denotes the likely presence of microorganisms, some of which may be capable of causing infection.
• Sterile denotes total freedom or absence from microorganisms.
• Pathogens are microorganisms capable of providing diseases.
• Infection is the process by which the pathogens invade the body.
• Disease is a detectable sign, symptoms, or alterations in normal body tissues.
• Asymptomatic is a term used to describe a disease that does not manifest symptoms.
• Symptomatic is a term used to describe a disease that manifests symptoms.
• Communicable disease is a disease that can spread from one person to another.
• Susceptibility is the degree of resistance the individual has to pathogens.
• Nosocomial Infection refers to the infections that are transmitted from the hospital.
• Virulence - refers to the strength and power of microorganisms to cause a disease.
• Infective Dose - refers to the amount of microorganisms to cause a disease.
• Medical Asepsis - includes all practices intended to confine a specific microorganism to a specific

  area, limiting the number, growth, and transmission of microorganisms, sometimes referred to as

  “clean technique”
• Surgical Asepsis - Includes all the sterile procedures and techniques used to exclude all

  microorganisms from an area, sometimes referred to as the “sterile technique”
• Etiologic Agent/ Causative Agent/ Pathologic Agent – refers to the microorganisms that are

  capable of causing a certain disease.
• Reservoir - refers to the natural habitat for growth and survival of microorganisms.
• Frank Cases – refers to very ill individuals
• Sub-clinical – refers to ambulatory clients
• Portal of Exit - refers to the means of exit of the microorganisms from the reservoir.
• Mode of Transmission - refers to the means of transmission to reach another person or host

  through a receptive portal of entry.
• Fomites - objects that are capable of harboring microorganisms.
• Portal of Entry - refers to the entry of microorganisms.
• Susceptible Host - any person who is at risk for infection.
• Disinfection - the process of killing microorganisms except spore-bearing ones.
• Spore - refers to the inactive stage of the life cycle of a

  microorganism. (highly resistant)
• Sterilization - the process of killing microorganisms including spore-bearing ones.
• Isolation - refers to the measures to prevent the spread of infections or

  potentially infectious microorganisms to health personnel, clients, and visitors.
• Asepsis -A term used to describe freedom from infection or infectious materials.
• Contamination - the process where contact with a microorganism happens.
• Decontamination - the use of physical or chemical means to remove, inactivate, or destroy bloodborne

  pathogens on a surface or item to the point where they are no longer capable of transmitting infectious

  particles and the surface or item is rendered safe for handling, use, or disposal.
• Disinfection - the destruction of pathogens, but not spores, using a chemical or physical means of

  disinfection
• Sterilization - the process with which all pathogens including spores are destroyed.
• Antiseptic- germicidal solution that inhibits the growth of some microorganisms.
• Susceptibility- the ability of an organism to be infected
• Reservoir- the habitat in which the agent normally lives, grows, and multiplies.
• Direct transmission occurs when a pathogen comes in direct contact with the susceptible host

  skin or mucous membrane.
• Indirect transmission is the movement of an infectious agent from the reservoir to an object which

  is then passed to the susceptible host when the host touches the object.