diseases
hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome.
AIDS
a small living organism that is not visible to the naked eye.
Microorganism
when the bubbles strike the items being cleaned and explode.
Cavitation
requires oxygen to live.
Aerobic
objects contaminated with infectious material that contains the pathogens.
Fomites
first affected primates and then spread to humans.
Ebola
must be followed for any patients known or suspected to be infected with epidemiological microorganisms that can be transmitted by either direct or indirect contact.
contract precautions
means that the object or parts of objects do not contain disease-producing organisms and therefore have minimal chance of spreading the disease.
Clean
used for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei.
airborne precautions
simple plant-like organisms that live on dead organic matter.
Fungi
caused by the HBV virus and is transmitted by blood, serum, and other body secretions.
hepatitis B
the use of microorganisms, or biological agents, as weapons to infect humans, animals, or plants.
Bioterrorism
this is a process that uses chemical disinfectants to destroy or kill pathogenic organisms.
Disinfection
live and reproduce in the absence of oxygen.
Anaerobic
a pathogen, such as a bacterium or virus that can cause a disease.
infectious agent
caused by the hepatitis C virus, or HCV, and is transmitted by blood and blood-containing body fluids.
hepatitis C
defined as the absence of disease-producing microorganisms, or pathogens.
Asepsis
this is a process that destroys all microorganisms, both pathogenic and non pathogenic, including spores and viruses.
Sterilization
equipped with a special door that allows the autoclave to be used as a dry-heat sterilizer.
Autoclave
a way that the infectious agent can be transmitted to another reservoir or host where it can live.
mode of transmission
infections that occur when the body’s defenses are weak.
Opportunistic
other microorganisms cause infection and disease and are called pathogens, or germs
Pathogens
free from all organisms, both pathogenic and nonpathogenic, including spores and viruses.
Sterile
occurs when the communicable disease spreads rapidly from person to person and affects a large number of people at the same time.
Epidemic
part of the normal flora of the body and are beneficial in maintaining certain body processes.
Non-pathogens