INHIBITING

• Sterilization

  •Involves the destruction or elimination of all microbes, including cells, spores, and viruses.
• Disinfection

  • Describes the elimination of most or all pathogens from nonliving objects.
• Disinfectants

  •Chemicals used to disinfect inanimate objects.

  •They cannot kill spores (non-sporicidal) and cannot be used on living tissue (strong chemicals)
• Antiseptics

  •Solutions used to disinfect skin and other living tissues

  •It merely reduces the number of organisms on a surface
• Sanitization

  The reduction of microbial populations to levels considered safe by public health standards
• Bactericidal agents (Bactericides)

  •Specifically kill bacteria, but not necessarily bacterial endospores
• Sporicidal

  •required to kill bacterial endospores
• Fungicidal agents (Fungicides)

  •kill fungi, including fungal spores
• Algicidal agents (Algicides)

  •used to kill algae in swimming pools and hot tubs
• Viricidal agents

  •destroy viruses
• Microbistatic Agents

  Drug or chemical that inhibits reproduction of microorganisms, but does not necessarily kill them
• •Bacteriostatic Agent

  •One that specifically inhibits the metabolism and reproduction of bacteria
• Lyophilization

  •A process that combines dehydration (drying) and freezing
• Sepsis

  •Refers to the presence of pathogens in blood or tissues
• Asepsis

  •The absence of pathogens
• Heat

  •The most practical, efficient, and inexpensive method of sterilization of those inanimate objects and materials that can withstand high temperatures
• Dry Heat

  The effectiveness of dry-heat sterilization depends on how deeply the heat penetrates throughout the material, and items to be baked must be positioned so that the hot air circulates freely among them.
• Moist Heat

  •Heat applied in the present of moisture (boiling or steaming) is faster and more effective than dry heat
• Autoclave

  •A large metal pressure cooker that uses steam under pressure to completely destroy all microbial life
• Cold

  •Refrigeration merely slows the growth of microorganisms; it does not completely inhibit growth
• Desiccation

  In the hospital or clinical environment, healthcare professionals should keep in  mind that dried viable pthogens may be present in dried matter (blood, pus, fecal material, and dust that are found on floors, in bedding, on clothing, and in wound dressings
• Radiation

  •UV rays penetrate cells and can cause damage to DNA and cause the cells to die (esp. unicellular mcroorganisms)
• Ultrasonic Waves

  •Ultrasonic cleaners consist of tanks filled with liquid solvent (usually water)and the short sound waves are passed through the liquid
• Filtration

  Filters with tiny pores (micropore filters) are used in laboratories to filter bacteria and viruses out of liquids