CLASSWORK - Ch. 15 Infection Control - Key Terms
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and suppresses the immune system.
AIDS
A piece of equipment that uses steam under pressure or gas to sterilize equipment and supplies.
Autoclave
The use of chemicals to destroy or inhibit pathogenic organisms; it is often used for instruments that do not penetrate body tissue.
Chemical Disinfection
A process that uses chemical disinfectants to destroy or kill pathogenic organisms; it is not always effective against spores and viruses.
Disinfection
An infection or disease that originates outside the body.
Exogenous
Organisms that require oxygen to live and reproduce.
Aerobic
Simple, one-celled organisms that multiply rapidly and are classified by shape (cocci, bacilli, and spirilla).
Bacteria
Objects or parts of objects that do not contain disease-producing organisms and therefore have minimal chance of spreading disease.
Clean
Must be followed for a patient known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by large-particle droplets expelled during coughing, sneezing, talking, or laughing.
Droplet Precautions
Objects contaminated with infectious material that contains the pathogens (e.g., doorknobs, bedpans, linens).
Fomites
Used for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei (small particles of evaporated droplets that contain microorganisms and remain suspended in the air).
Airborne Precautions
The use of microorganisms, or biologic agents, as weapons to infect humans, animals, or plants.
Bioterrorism
A disease caused by a pathogenic organism that can be easily transmitted to others.
Communicable Disease
An infection or disease that originates within the body.
Endogenous
Simple, plantlike organisms that live on dead organic matter (e.g., yeasts and molds).
Fungi
Organisms that live and reproduce in the absence of oxygen.
Anaerobic
The process in an ultrasonic unit where sound waves strike a cleaning solution and create bubbles that explode, driving the solution onto the article being cleaned.
Cavitation
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.
Contact Precautions
A filovirus that causes hemorrhagic fever; it first affected primates and then spread to humans.
Ebola
Also known as a nosocomial infection; an infection acquired by an individual in a health care facility.
Health Care-Associated Infection (HAI)
The absence of disease-producing microorganisms, or pathogens.
Asepsis
A series of factors that must exist for a disease to occur and spread from one individual to another.
Chain of Infection
Organisms and pathogens are present; any object or area that may contain pathogens is considered contaminated.
Contaminated
Occurs when a communicable disease spreads rapidly from person to person and affects a large number of people at the same time.
Epidemic
Multicellular parasitic organisms commonly called worms or flukes.
Helminths