Asepsis is the practice to reduce or eliminate contaminants (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites) from entering the operative field in surgery or medicine to prevent infection. Ideally, a field is "sterile" - free of contaminants - , a situation that is difficult to attain, however elimination of infection is the goal, not sterility. Phyla/Divisions Actinobacteria Aquificae Bacteroidetes/Chlorobi Chlamydiae/Verrucomicrobia Chloroflexi Chrysiogenetes Cyanobacteria Deferribacteres Deinococcus-Thermus Dictyoglomi Fibrobacteres/Acidobacteria Firmicutes Fusobacteria Gemmatimonadetes Nitrospirae Omnibacteria Planctomycetes Proteobacteria Spirochaetes Thermodesulfobacteria Thermomicrobia Thermotogae Bacteria is also the fictional name of a warring nation under Benzino Napaloni as dictator, in the 1940 film The Great Dictator... Three types of viruses: a bacterial virus, otherwise called a bacteriophage (left center); an animal virus (top right); and a retrovirus (bottom right). ... Divisions Chytridiomycota Zygomycota Ascomycota Basidiomycota The Fungi (singular: fungus) are a large group of organisms ranked as a kingdom within the Domain Eukaryota. ... A parasite is an organism that lives in or on the living tissue of a host organism at the expense of it. ... A typical modern surgery operation For other meanings of the word, see Surgery (disambiguation) Surgery (from the Greek cheirourgia - lit. ... NLM (National Library of Medicine, contains resources for patients and healthcare professionals) Virtual Hospital (digital health sciences library by the University of Iowa) Online Medical Dictionary Collection of links to free medical resources Wikicities has a wiki about medicine: Medicine Categories: Medicine | Health ... An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. ...

Related terms

Antiseptis is a term that is used sometimes as a synonym, but also applies to the uses of antiseptics. Antiseptics are agents that reduce or kill germs chemically and are applied to skin and wound surfaces. In contrast, desinfectants are chemicals applied to inert surfaces and are usually too harsh to be used on biological surfaces. Antibiotics kill specifically bacteria and work biochemically; they can be used externally or internally. An antiseptic is a substance that kills or prevents the growth of bacteria on the external surfaces of the body. ... An antibiotic is a drug that kills or slows the growth of bacteria. ...

History

The first step in asepsis is cleanliness, a concept already espoused by Hippocrates. The modern concept of asepsis evolved in the 19th century. Semmelweis showed that washing the hands prior to delivery reduced puerperal fever. After the suggestion by Louis Pasteur, Lister introduced the use of carbolic acid as an antiseptic and reduced surgical infections rates. Tait went from antisepsis to asepsis introducing principles and practices that have remain valid. Von Bermann introduced the autoclave. Hippocrates: a conventionalized image in a Roman portrait bust (19th century engraving) Hippocrates of Cos (c. ... Ignaz Semmelweis on an old Austrian postage stamp Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis (originally Ignác Fülöp Semmelweis) (July 1, 1818 - August 13, 1865) was the Hungarian physician who demonstrated that puerperal fever (also known as childbed fever) was contagious and that its incidence could be drastically reduced by enforcing... Puerperal fever is caused by infection of the genital tract shortly after giving birth, although any fever within two weeks of childbirth is dangerous since it can cause infertility or septicaemia. ... Louis Pasteur (December 27, 1822 – September 28, 1895) was a French microbiologist and chemist. ... Lister is a northern suburb of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, adjacent to Manningham. ... Tait is a Scottish surname that most likely originated in Berwickshire, Scotland. ... Front loading autoclaves are common Cassette style autoclaves cycle very quickly Stovetop autoclaves need to be monitored carefully, but have a very large capacity Sterilization bags often have a “sterilization indicator mark” that typically darkens when sterilization temperatures have been reached. ...

Methods

Todays's techniques include a series of steps that complement each other. Foremost remains good hygienic practice. The procedure room is laid out according to specific guidelines, subject to regulations concerning filtering and airflow, and kept clean between surgical cases. A patient who is brought for the procedure is washed and wears a clean gown. The surgical site is washed, possibly shaved, and skin is exposed to a germicide ( i.e an iodine solution such as betadine). In turn, members of the surgical team wash the hands and arms with germicidal solution. Operating surgeons and nurses wear sterile gowns and gloves. Hair is covered and a surgical mask is worn. Instruments have been sterilized through autoclaving , or , if disposable, are used once only. Irrigation is used in the surgical site. Suture material or xenographs have been sterilized beforehand. Dressing material is sterile. Antibiotics are often not necessary in a "clean" case, that is a surgical procedure where no infection is apparent, however, when a case is considered "contaminated", they are usually indicated. Dirty and biologically contaminated material is subject to regulated disposal. Hygiene is the maintenance of healthful practices. ... An antiseptic is a substance that kills or prevents the growth of bacteria on the external surfaces of the body. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iodine, I, 53 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 5, p Appearance violet-dark gray, lustrous Atomic mass 126. ... Betadine is a povidone-iodine solution, used as a broad spectrum topical microbicide. ... Sutures are the stitches doctors, and especially surgeons, use to hold skin, organs, blood vessels and all other tissues of the human body together, after they have been severed in minor or major surgery. ...

Links

• History
• Antisepsis and Asepsis
• Definition