Microbial Control Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes about microbial control methods.

Sepsis

Bacterial contamination.

Asepsis

The absence of significant contamination.

Sterilization

Removing and destroying all microbial life.

Commercial Sterilization

Killing Clostridium botulinum endospores in canned goods.

Disinfection

Destroying harmful microorganisms on inanimate surfaces or environments.

Antisepsis

Destroying harmful microorganisms from living tissue.

Degerming

The mechanical removal of microbes from a limited area.

Sanitization

Lowering microbial counts on eating utensils to safe levels.

Biocide (Germicide)

Treatments that kill microbes.

Bacteriostasis

Inhibiting, not killing, microbes.

Thermal Death Point (TDP)

Lowest temperature at which all cells in a liquid culture are killed in 10 minutes.

Thermal Death Time (TDT)

Minimal time for all bacteria in a liquid culture to be killed at a particular temperature.

Decimal Reduction Time (DRT)

Minutes to kill 90% of a specific population of bacteria at a given temperature.

Autoclave

Sterilization using steam under pressure, typically at 121°C at 15 psi for 15 minutes.

Pasteurization

Reduces spoilage organisms and pathogens in milk and juices; uses high-temperature short-time (HTST) treatment.

Ultra-High-Temperature (UHT) Treatment

Sterilizes milk, creamer, and juice by rapidly heating to 140°C for 4 seconds.

HEPA Filter

High-efficiency particulate air filter used to remove microbes.

Desiccation

Absence of water; prevents metabolism.

Plasmolysis

Collapse of a walled cell's cytoplasm due to a lack of water.

Ionizing Radiation

X-rays, gamma rays, or electron beams that ionize water and damage DNA.

Nonionizing Radiation

Ultraviolet (UV) light that damages DNA by creating thymine dimers.

Use-Dilution Test

A method for evaluating the effectiveness of disinfectants against specific bacteria.

Disk-Diffusion Method

A method used to evaluate the efficacy of chemical agents by observing the zone of inhibition around filter paper disks soaked in the chemical.

Phenolics

Derivatives of phenol that injure lipids of plasma membranes, causing leakage.

Bisphenols

Disrupt plasma membranes; examples include hexachlorophene and triclosan.

Biguanides

Disrupt plasma membranes; examples include chlorhexidine and alexidine.

Halogens

Impair protein synthesis and alter membranes; examples include iodine and chlorine.

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats)

Cations that are bactericidal, denature proteins, and disrupt plasma membranes.

Aldehydes

Inactivate proteins by cross-linking with functional groups like formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde.

Gaseous Chemosterilants

Sterilize by causing alkylation, replacing hydrogen atoms of a chemical group with a free radical.

Plasma

Electrically excited gas that sterilizes by using free radicals to destroy microbes.

Peroxygens

Oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid.