Which term refers to reducing microbial load on living tissue?

Which term refers to reducing microbial load on living tissue?

• A. Antisepsis
• B. Disinfection
• C. Sterilization
• D. Fumigation

Answer: (A)

Antisepsis is reducing microbial load on living tissue using chemical agents that are safe for the host but effective against pathogens. This is the process applied to skin, wounds, and mucous membranes to prevent infection, such as cleansing a wound or prepping skin before an injection or surgery with antiseptics like chlorhexidine, iodine, or alcohol. Disinfection targets inanimate objects and aims to destroy many pathogens on surfaces, but not necessarily all or those that survive on living tissue. Sterilization is an approach that eliminates all microorganisms, including spores, on an item, which is not something done to living tissue. Fumigation involves gaseous agents used to disinfect or sterilize environments, not the living tissue directly. So, reducing microbial load on living tissue is best described by antisepsis.

Antisepsis is reducing microbial load on living tissue using chemical agents that are safe for the host but effective against pathogens. This is the process applied to skin, wounds, and mucous membranes to prevent infection, such as cleansing a wound or prepping skin before an injection or surgery with antiseptics like chlorhexidine, iodine, or alcohol. Disinfection targets inanimate objects and aims to destroy many pathogens on surfaces, but not necessarily all or those that survive on living tissue. Sterilization is an approach that eliminates all microorganisms, including spores, on an item, which is not something done to living tissue. Fumigation involves gaseous agents used to disinfect or sterilize environments, not the living tissue directly. So, reducing microbial load on living tissue is best described by antisepsis.