As a result of the chemical strength, disinfectants are usually not used on skin or mucous membranes. Often referred to as germicides or bactericides, these products kill living and active microorganisms. They do not have the capability of killing bacterial spores. This can be accomplished by the use of disinfectants and antiseptic preparations.ĭisinfectants are chemical preparations used to kill or eliminate pathogens from objects. Additionally, the type of microorganism and its state of mutation for antibiotic resistance are involved in the progression or arresting of an infection.Īltering the conditions that allow pathogens to live, multiply, and spread eliminates infectious pathogens. Other factors that may affect the incidence of infection in a patient include natural defenses against infection such as an intact skin, a functional immune system, and the person’s general state of good health (or homeostasis). Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines and Universal Precautions also contribute to initiating and maintaining infection control. Handwashing/hand hygiene, medical asepsis, and sterile technique all play a part in infection control. Infection control is a major factor in patient safety with intravenous (IV) therapy. Using sterile technique to use methods to kill all microorganisms in a given situation. Infection acquired in health care setting.īeing exposed to harmful microorganisms or other harmful factors through employment. Occurrence when the clinician is exposed to a potent bloodborne pathogen from body fluids.Ĭlean techniques to decrease pathogens to reduce the incidence of cross-contamination also known as the clean technique. One is passive, the other aggressive, and in this difference lies the subtlety between the two terms.Microorganisms capable of causing disease in humans and transmitted in human blood. Aseptic conditions can include sterilization, but the opposite is untrue. To sum it up with a metaphor, if sterile conditions look more like an attack, aseptic conditions are themselves a lot more like a barrier. Aseptic processing conditions demand wider sets of hygienic rules whose goals are to limit the risks of infections in an environment that is impossible to sterilize entirely (for example, a hospital waiting room). Because of its radical nature, sterilized conditions are often aimed at medical tools and not reproduced on a bigger scale. Sterilizing can be done in many different ways that are more accessible since it has no need to preserve any living organisms, and is more "brutal". It requires knowing which viruses or bacteria are harmful to the product at hand, and how to remove them while keeping helpful microorganisms intact. The technique to reach aseptic conditions is more specific, rigorous, detailed and thus complex. Related: Why do HEPA Filters have 0.3 Micron Pore Size? This technique is used to reach an environment free of all living microorganisms, for example with the tools used for a surgical operation that cannot afford to have any kind of bacteria reaching an open wound and being a safety and health hazard. In the sterilized technique, every bacteria, harmful or helpful, is meant to be destroyed. The aseptic processing technique will maintain a product safe, for example in food processing with a cold chain. What it is in more practical terms is that someone will want aseptic conditions if they need to keep a tool, a room or any product free of contamination- not make it sterile, but just keep and uphold the product to a standard that won't duplicate bacteria or create more viruses. Basically, one is the removal of anything that could contaminate an area, whereas the other doesn't discriminate bacteria or germs and has none at all. Sterile describes a product that is entirely free of all germs. Aseptic means something has been made contamination-free, that it will not reproduce or create any kind of harmful living microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and others). To truly get the specific characteristics of the two and how they can work together, it's essential to understand what each word means. The common point between the two terms is that they are both techniques that strive to get rid of microscopic organisms that can be harmful and risk the safety of an environment, a liquid, a wound or a tool among other things. They sound similar but cannot be mixed up or will put a sensible product at risk. In a pharmaceutical context, it is very important to know which is which and what they represent medically. These terms, which can be obviously used in a medical setting, also apply to the safekeeping of food and other perishable goods that can be attacked by bacteria, fungi or viruses. The difference between "aseptic" and "sterile" is not always properly understood.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |