What is disinfection?

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Multiple Choice

What is disinfection?

Disinfection is the use of chemical agents to destroy or greatly reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms on inanimate objects to a level considered safe for handling. It does not apply to living tissue (that’s antisepsis) and it does not guarantee complete sterility. The best description here is using liquid chemicals to kill many bacteria on inanimate surfaces, because it targets non-living objects and lowers harmful microbes without achieving total sterilization. The other options describe antisepsis (on living tissue) or sterilization (complete elimination of all organisms, often with heat or autoclave conditions).

Disinfection is the use of chemical agents to destroy or greatly reduce the number of pathogenic microorganisms on inanimate objects to a level considered safe for handling. It does not apply to living tissue (that’s antisepsis) and it does not guarantee complete sterility. The best description here is using liquid chemicals to kill many bacteria on inanimate surfaces, because it targets non-living objects and lowers harmful microbes without achieving total sterilization. The other options describe antisepsis (on living tissue) or sterilization (complete elimination of all organisms, often with heat or autoclave conditions).

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