Which statement correctly differentiates antisepsis from disinfection?

• A. Antisepsis is used on animate surfaces; disinfection on inanimate surfaces
• B. Antisepsis is used on inanimate surfaces; disinfection on animate surfaces
• C. Both are used on animate surfaces only
• D. Antisepsis uses heat; disinfection uses chemicals

Answer: (A)

The key idea is what each process acts on. Antisepsis targets living tissue to prevent infection by inhibiting or destroying microbes, using agents applied to skin or mucous membranes. Disinfection targets nonliving surfaces to reduce or eliminate pathogens, usually with chemical disinfectants or heat methods on objects and surfaces.

That makes the statement correct: antisepsis is used on animate (living) surfaces, while disinfection is used on inanimate (nonliving) surfaces. The other options mix up the targets or rely on heat vs chemicals in a way that isn’t the defining difference (antisepsis isn’t about heat, and disinfection isn’t limited to chemicals).