Ch. 15 Infection Control - Key Terms
AIDS:
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, caused by HIV
Autoclave:
A piece of equipment that uses steam under pressure or gas to sterilize equipment and supplies
Chemical disinfection
A few chemicals will kill spores and viruses, but these chemicals frequently require that instrument be submerged in the chemical for 10 or more hours
Disinfection:
A process that uses chemical disinfectants to destroy or kill pathogenic organisms
Exogenous:
The infection or disease originates outside the body
Aerobic:
Require oxygen
Bacteria:
Simple, one-celled organisms
Clean:
Means that the object or part of objects do not contain disease-producing organisms
Droplet precautions:
Use ppe, hand hygiene, private room for patient, and limit transport
Fomites:
Objects contaminated with infectious material that contains the pathogens
Airborne precautions:
Used for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei
Bioterrorism:
The use of microorganisms as weapons to infect humans, animals, or plants
Communicable disease:
Caused by a pathogenic organisms that can be easily transmitted to others
Ebola:
Severe, often fatal illness
Fungi:
Simple, plant-like organisms that live on dead organic matter
Anaerobic:
Doesn’t require oxygen
Cavitation:
When the bubbles strike the items being cleaned they explode
Contact precautions:
Must be followed for any patients known or suspected to be infected with epidemiological microorganisms that can be transmitted by direct or indirect contact.
Endogenous:
The infection or disease originates within the body
Health care-associated:
An infection acquired by an individual in a health care facility such as a hospital
Asepsis:
The absences of disease-producing microorganisms
Chain of infection:
Certain conditions that must be met for a disease to occur and spread from one individual to another
Contaminated:
Organisms and pathogens are present
Epidemic:
When a communicable disease affects a large number of people at the same time
Helminths:
Multicellular parasitic organisms commonly called worms or flukes