MOD F UNIT 3 TERMINOLOGY

Asepsis

Condition in which pathogens are absent or controlled

Carrier

A reservoir host who is unaware of the presence of a pathogen and so spreads the disease while exhibiting no symptoms of infection

Endogenous infection

An infection in which an abnormality or a malfunction in routine body processes causes normally beneficial or harmless microorganisms to become pathogenic

healthcare-associated infections (HAI) 

Infections acquired by a patient in a healthcare facility

Pathogen

A microorganism capable of causing disease

Reservoir host

An animal, insect or human whose body is susceptible to growth of a path

standard precautions

A combination of universal precautions and Body Substance isolation guidelines; used in hospitals for the care of all patients

susceptible host

An individual who has little or no immunity to infection by a particular organism

vector

A living organism, such as an insect, that carries microorganisms from an infected person to another person

Work practice controls

Controlling workplace injuries by altering the way a task is performed

aerobe

Bacteria that grow best in the presence of oxygen

Anaerobe

A bacterium that grows best in the absence of oxygen

Bacillus

A rod-shaped bacterium

Coccus

A spherical, round, or ovoid bacterium

colony

A distinct group of microorganisms, visible with the naked eye, on the surface of a culture medium

culture

To place a sample of a specimen in or on a substance that allows microorganisms to grow in order to identify the microorganisms present

culture and sensitivity (C&S)

A procedure that involves culturing a specimen and then testing the isolated bacteria’s susceptibility (sensitivity) to certain antibiotics to determine which antibiotics would be most effective in treating an infection

etiologic agent

A living microorganism or its toxin that may cause human disease

Gram - negative

Reffering to bacteria that lose their purple color when a decolorizer has been added during a Gram stain

Gram - positive

Referring to bacteria that retain their purple color after a decolorizer has been added during a Gram stain

KOH mount

A type of mount used when a physician suspects a patient has a fungal infection of the skin, nails, or hair and to which potassium hydroxide is added to dissolve the keratin in cell walls

mordant

A substance, such as iodine, that can intensify or deepen the response a specimen has to a stain

spirillum

A spiral-shaped bacterium

stain

In microbiology, a solution of a dye or group of dyes that imparts a color to microorganisms

vibrio

A comma-shaped bacterium