Microbial Control Methods and Antibiotics

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to microbial control methods and antibiotics.

Sterilization

Complete removal or destruction of all viable microbes, including endospores.

Disinfection

Destruction or removal of vegetative microbes, but not endospores.

Sanitization

Reduction of vegetative cells to an acceptable low number; e.g., pasteurization.

Antisepsis

Chemicals used on body surfaces to destroy or inhibit vegetative microbes.

Antimicrobial chemotherapy

Chemicals used to kill or inhibit microbial growth inside the human body, e.g., antibiotics.

Microbial death

Permanent termination of an organism’s vital processes, typically defined by the loss of reproductive capability.

Bacterial endospores

Considered the most resistant microbial entities; their destruction is the goal of sterilization processes.

Decimal reduction time (D value)

The time required for a 90% decrease in microbial viability.

Selective toxicity

Ability to kill or inhibit the actions of microbes without harming human host cells.

Narrow-spectrum antibiotics

Target a specific group of microbes.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics

Effective against more than one group of microbes.

Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)

Lowest concentration of an antimicrobial drug necessary to inhibit growth.

Therapeutic index (TI)

Ratio of the MIC to the concentration of drug that is toxic to human hosts.

Penicillin

An antibiotic that interferes with cell wall production in bacteria.

Incineration

A method of sterilization that uses very high temperatures to vaporize organic materials.

Filtration

A method used to remove microbes from liquids and gases by passing them through a filter.

Gamma rays and x-rays

Types of ionizing radiation used for sterilization.

Biofilm

A complex aggregation of microorganisms, often resistant to antimicrobial agents.