ASEPSIS AND INFECTION CONTROL TERMINOLOGIES

1. Infection an invasion of the body tissue by microorganism and their

proliferation there
2. Asepsis the absence of disease-producing microorganisms. Being free from
infection
3. Medical asepsis practices designed to reduce the number and transfer of
pathogens. Clean technique.
4. Surgical asepsis practices that render and keep objects and areas free
from microorganisms. Sterile technique
5. Septicemia transport of an infection or the products of infection
throughout the body or by blood
6. Carrier a person or animal who is without signs of illness but who harbor
pathogens within his body that can be transferred to another
7. Contact a person or animal known or believed to have been exposed to a
disease
8. Reservoir the natural habitat for the growth and multiplication of
microorganism
9. Transient flora or bacteria the microorganism picked up by the skin as a
result of normal activities that can be removed readily
10.Resident flora or bacteria the microorganisms that normally live on a
persons skin
11.Sterilization the process by which all microorganisms including their
spores are destroyed
12.Disinfectant a substance, usually intended for use on inanimate objects
that destroys pathogens but generally not the spores
13.Antiseptic a substance, usually intended for use on persons that inhibit the
growth of pathogens but not necessarily destroy them
14.Bactericidal a chemical that kills microorganisms
15.Bacteriostatic an agent that prevents bacterial multiplication but does not
kill all forms of organism
16.Contamination the process by which something is rendered unclean or
unsterile
17.Disinfection the process by which pathogens but not their spores are
destroyed from inanimate object
18.Communicable disease results if the infectious agent can be transmitted
to an individual by direct or indirect contact through a vector or vehicle, or as
an airborne infection
19.Infectious disease results from the invasion and multiplication of
microorganisms in a host
20.Pathogen a disease producing microorganism
21.Pathogenicity the ability to produce a disease
22.Virulence the vigor with which the organism can grow and multiply
23.Specificity the organisms attraction to a specific host which may include
humans
24.Opportunistic pathogen causes disease only in susceptible individual
25.Nosocomial infection hospital acquired infection
26.Isolation the separation of persons with communicable diseases from other
persons so that either direct/indirect transmission to susceptible persons is
required

Reference: Mastering Fundamentals of Nursing, 3 rd Ed. J. Udan

27.Isolation techniques practices designed to prevent the transfer of specific

microorganisms
28.Etiology the study of causes
Prepared by:
Fitz Gerald V. Jaminit, BSN, RN, CNN, MAN
NCM 100 Lecturer

Reference: Mastering Fundamentals of Nursing, 3 rd Ed. J. Udan