EP&M: ch. 23 - control of microorganisms

antimicrobial agents that end in the suffix "-_____" are agents that will kill particular type of organisms

"-cide"

antimicrobial agents that end in the suffix "-___" will prevent the growth of a particular type of microorganism, but usually not destroy their spores

"-static"

what prefix does glutaraldehyde usually start out with?

"di-" - ex) dis-spray, di-san,

quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) are chemical disinfectants that do what 2 things?

- damage cellular membranes - denature microbial proteins

regarding temperature, how can heat be used to control microbial growth?

- incineration - dry heat - moist heat

factors influencing chemical agents:

- nature of disinfectant - concentration of disinfectant - nature of material to be disinfected - # of microorganisms present - type of microorganisms present - length of exposure to disinfectant - temp of disinfectant during exposure - disinfectant's pH during exposure

symptoms and effects of quaternary ammonium compounds?

- skin and respiratory tract irritant - may cause birth defects in pregnant women exposed to it via inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption

some properties of formaldehyde?

- skin, eyes, nose, and throat irritant - severe pain, vomiting, coma, and death if ingested - suspected carcinogen

the 3 levels of controlling microbial growth are?

- sterilization - disinfection - antisepsis

endospores can be destroyed at what temperature for how many minutes?

250 F for 15 minutes

how much (%) sodium hypochlorite does the average household bleach contain, which is several hundred times stronger than is needed to kill most disease-causing microorganisms

5%

____ are widely used disinfectants that control microbial growth by denaturing proteins and by dissolving lipids in the cell membrane of microbes - most effective in aq soln's to render proteins more soluble - often added to other disinfectants to enhance germicidal power - volatile and may evaporate - intermediate level disinfectant

alcohols

_____: - good for more than tissue preservation - ex) formalin

aldehdyes

the control of microbial growth on living tissue to prevent infection is known as _____ - reduction of microbial populations to safe levels as determined by public health standards

antisepsis

contaminated objects are placed into an ____ for varying amounts of time dependent on the bacteria

autoclave

_____ _____: • topical antiseptic used on the skin before surgery • used in nasal sprays to reduce airborne transmission of disease in hopsitals • preservative in eye drops to extend shelf life

benzalkonium chloride

____ ___ is another topical antiseptic

benzethonium chloride

how does heat kill microorganisms?

by denaturing their proteins

____ ____: - Dr. Lister used as a surgical disinfectant to reduce post-op infections in 19th century - AKA phenol - slightly acidic - sweet and tarry odor - sold commercially as liquid - flammable - chemical burns, liver damage, diarrhea, dark urine, and hemolytic anemia

carbolic acid

____ ____: - AKA cepacol - mouthwashes and throat lozenges

ceepryn chloride

_____: - used to treat municipal drinking water and swimming pools - exists as a gas until mixed with water to form sodium hypochlorite - irritating to skin and mucous membranes - hypochlorites are corrosive and don't make good sterilants due to lengthy exposure times required to kill endospores

chlorine

____: - form of incineration - process of placing human remains into a retort where temperatures reach between 1600 F and 1800 F - remains are devoid of soft tissues and completely sterilized

cremation

____: - phenolic compound derived from toluene - ortho-cresol, meta-cresol, and para-cresol - produce Lysol, deodorants, insecticides - wood, tobacco, crude oil, and creosote used in the manufacture of telephone poles and treated lumber - irritation and burning of skin, eyes, mouth, and throat; abdominal pain and vomiting; heart damage; anemia; liver and kidney damage; facial paralysis; coma; and death - mortuary disinfectant use = work well in the presence of other organic compounds

cresols

the ___ ___ ___ is the ime in minutes it takes to kill 90 percent of present microorganisms

decimal reduction time

____ is the destruction of pathogenic agents by chemical or physical means via the application of disinfectant to an inanimate object - DOES NOT inactivate microbial endospores • will kill most vegetative microorganisms

disinfection

___ ___: • Kills microorganisms by coagulating their proteins and breaking hydrogen bonds within them • can't be used to disinfect every surface, it is generally preferred to chemical methods of decontamination that leave toxic residue behind • Requires a significant amount of exposure time to be effective • Less effective than moist heat since proteins don't denature as easily when they are dry

dry heat

TRUE OR FALSE extreme cold cannot kill some bacteria

false; can kill some bacteria

TRUE OR FALSE quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) are activated in the presence of soap

false; deactivated

TRUE OR FALSE cold temperatures do destroy all vegetative cells or endospores, cold merely inhibits their growth which can continue when they're introduced again to warmer temperatures

false; do not

TRUE OR FALSE glutaraldehyde is more toxic than formaldehyde

false; less toxic

TRUE OR FALSE incineration is a form of antisepsis as it destroys both vegetative bacteria and bacterial endospores

false; sterilization

____ is a concentrated aqueous solution composed of formaldehyde and water, is very good at controlling growth of microorganisms - 37% formaldehyde gas by mass and 40% by volume

formalin

how should a decedent be scrubbed, and why?

gently, to reduce damage to tissues and tears on the skin

_____: - effective disinfectant sometimes referred to as a cold chemical sterilant - at 2%, kills endospores in 3-12 hours - not germicidal for at least 10 minutes - inactivates DNA and RNA of microorganisms - can be used on heat-sensitive objects - can use to sterilize instruments when no autoclave - pH sensitive and alkaline environments

glutaraldehyde

if you have no autoclave and you worked on a tissue gas case, what should you soak your instruments in to disinfect them, and for about how long?

glutaraldehyde, 10-12 hours

_____: - widely used disinfectants that work by oxidizing the components of microbial cells - extremely caustic and aggressive since each requires 1 electron to achieve stability - ex) disinfectants Cl and I

halogens

_____: - 450x more effective germicide than phenol - once commonly used as primary antibacterial agent in soaps, deodorants, toothpaste, talcum powder, mouthwash, and shaving cream - replaced by chlorohexidine bc it is less toxic and wider effectiveness control of bacteria

hexachlorophene

what did newborns used to be bathed in that was also a surgical scrub ingredient? - killed 35 newborns in a Parisian hopsital in 1972 due to this being used in their talcum powder

hexachlorphene

_____: • used most often to treat biohazardous waste • reduces the amount of waste to a more manageable quantity and form • waste must remain in the combustion chamber for a sufficient time and at a high enough temperature for it to mix with oxygen and combust completely

incineration

_____: - controls microbial growth by oxidizing certain molecules within the microbial cell - can be used in the form of either a tincture or an iodophore

iodine

____ are compounds of iodine and a surfactant such as a detergent that slowly releases the free iodine - ex) betadine

iodophores

___ ___: • Utilization of either boiling, free-flowing steam, or steam under pressure to kill microbes • Boiling takes approximately 10 minutes to sterilize water containing endospores, kills vegetative bacteria and most viruses and fungi • Placing contaminated items into free-flowing steam for 30 minutes daily over the course of 3 days will destroy most bacteria

moist heat

is steam under pressure the least or most effective form of controlling microbial growth, and why?

most, allows for easy control of pressure, temperature, and length of exposure

quaternary ammonium compounds are also known as?

quats

the manual process by which microorganisms are removed from a surface is ____ - used in conjunction with chemical methods of microbial control

scrubbing

____ is the process of completely removing or destroying all life-forms, endospores, or their products on or in a substance

sterilization

which of the 3 levels of controlling microbial growth is the highest level?

sterilization

why must embalmers be knowledgeable about methods to control growth of infectious organisms?

successful preservation of the deceased is dependent on our skills at hindering the growth of microbes that contribute to decomposition

surface active agents AKA _____ are capable of altering the surface tension of cell membranes causing their cellular contents to leak out

surfactants

the lowest temperature at which all microorganisms are killed in 10 minutes is known as the ____ ____ ____

thermal death point

the ____ ____ ____ is the minimum time it takes to kill ALL microorganisms present

thermal death time

____ are aromatic bases produced by the body to form nucleic acids

thymines

a ____ is a solution of iodine and alcohol primarily used as an antiseptic - does not kill endospores - stains skin, but removed w/ rubbing alcohol

tincture

chlorine may form ______ when it reacts with certain organic compounds, which is a possible carcinogen

trihalomethane

TRUE OR FALSE after cremation, remains can no longer harbor infectious disease-causing microorganisms that could spread to the public

true

TRUE OR FALSE alkaline hydrolysis completely sterilizes human remains and kills all prions

true

TRUE OR FALSE cold can be an effective means of controlling microbial growth via refrigeration or freezing

true

TRUE OR FALSE disruption or damage to skin due to aggressive scrubbing my lead to leakage of bodily fluids, leading to damage of the deceased's clothing and interior of their casket

true

TRUE OR FALSE endospores of Clostridium botulinum and C. perfringens can survive many hours of boiling

true

TRUE OR FALSE glutaraldehyde can cause throat and lung irritation, headaches, difficulty breathing, nosebleeds, burning eyes, skin rash, brownish staining of the hands, hives, or nausea

true

TRUE OR FALSE you can add about 4-6 oz/gallon of glutaraldehyde in the tank for more disinfectant

true

___ ___ is a form of nonionizing radiation that can effectively control growth of microorganisms - inhibits microbial growth by damaging the cell's genetic material by causing bonds to form between adjacent thymines in their DNA - to be effective, must be direct exposure

ultraviolet light (UV)

how should you scrub inanimate objects?

vigorously and forcefully