Microbial Control and Pathogenesis Review

A collection of vocabulary flashcards based on microbial control and pathogenesis concepts.

Sterilization

Destruction of ALL living cells, spores, and/or viruses.

Disinfection

Removal of disease-causing microorganisms from inanimate surfaces; does not necessarily achieve sterilization.

Antisepsis

Removal of disease-causing microorganisms from living tissues such as skin; does not guarantee sterilization.

Sanitation

Reducing microbe numbers to safe levels; does not lead to sterilization.

Cidal agents

Microbials that have lethal effects, such as bactericidal, fungicidal, and virucidal agents.

Static agents

Microbials that slow or stop metabolism or reproduction but are not necessarily lethal.

Pasteurization

Process of heating food to a specific temperature for a set period to kill pathogens, but does not result in sterilization.

Antibiotics

Chemical compounds synthesized by microbes that selectively kill or inhibit other microbes.

Narrow-spectrum antibiotics

Antimicrobials effective against a limited variety of microbial types.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics

Antimicrobials effective against a wide variety of microbial types, including both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Chemotherapeutic index

The ratio of toxic dose to therapeutic dose; a measure of a drug's safety.

Virulence

The level of harm caused by a pathogen following infection.

LD50

Lethal dose 50%; the number of microbes required to kill 50% of an experimental group of animals.

Pathogen

Any bacterium, virus, or fungus that causes disease in humans.

Reservoirs of infection

The natural host or habitat of a pathogen; can be animals, humans, or environments.

Endemic disease

A disease or condition consistently present in a community at a low rate.

Epidemic disease

A sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease within a population.

Pandemic disease

An epidemic that spreads across regions, affecting a large number of people.

Zoonotic disease

Infections that are transmitted from animals to humans.

Horizontal transmission

Transfer of infectious agents between individuals in the same generation.

Vertical transmission

Transfer of infectious agents from parent to offspring.

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs)

Infections contracted while receiving treatment in a healthcare facility.

Bioterrorism

The deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs to cause illness or death.

Effective bioweapons

Microorganisms that are low in infectious dose, easily transmitted, and to which a large percentage of the population is susceptible.