Microbiology and Infection Control Flashcards
7 cards from real CER practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Microbiology and Infection Control flashcards as text
Which organism is MOST resistant to chemical disinfectants and requires sterilization to eliminate?
Answer: Bacterial endospores (Clostridium)
Bacterial endospores such as those from Clostridium species are the most resistant microbial forms and require sterilization, not just disinfection, for elimination.
A high-level disinfectant must be capable of killing all of the following EXCEPT:
Answer: Bacterial spores (all concentrations)
High-level disinfection kills vegetative bacteria, mycobacteria, and viruses but does NOT reliably kill all bacterial spores — that requires sterilization.
Which term describes the number of viable organisms present on or in a device before reprocessing begins?
Answer: Bioburden
Bioburden refers to the total number of viable microorganisms on a device prior to any cleaning or disinfection process.
What is the primary reason point-of-use pre-cleaning (bedside flushing) is critical in endoscope reprocessing?
Answer: It prevents biofilm formation by removing organic matter before it dries
Bedside pre-cleaning prevents organic material from drying inside channels, which would make it far more difficult to remove and could facilitate biofilm development.
Which type of hepatitis virus is classified as MOST resistant to chemical inactivation?
Answer: Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B virus is notably more resistant to chemical disinfectants than Hepatitis A, C, or D, requiring high-level disinfection for reliable inactivation.
In the context of infection control, what does the term 'reservoir' refer to?
Answer: The habitat where an infectious agent normally lives and multiplies
A reservoir is the natural habitat (human, animal, or environment) where a pathogen survives, multiplies, and can be transmitted to susceptible hosts.
Which reprocessing step is MOST critical for preventing transmission of prion diseases (e.g., Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) via endoscopes?
Answer: Thorough manual cleaning to remove protein material
Prions are resistant to standard sterilization and disinfection; thorough physical removal of proteinaceous material through cleaning is the most effective risk-reduction step.