Antimicrobial Agents in Microbiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Antimicrobial Agents in Microbiology - Essay Example Usually sterilization is attained through physical agents such as heat, radiation, etc.; however, few chemical agents are also employed to destroy spores. These are known as sterilants. Disinfection involves the utilization of a chemical agent usually referred as disinfectant or a physical process to demolish vegetative pathogens except bacterial endospores. These disinfectants are also mostly employed to kill microbes on the surface of inanimate objects as the concentrations employed to disinfect surfaces are very high and might be toxic to animal tissues. Disinfection processes also eliminate the destructive productions of microorganisms such as toxins from the surfaces. Examples include 5% bleach solution, immersion of thermometers in iodine solution and boiled food utensils (Talaro & Talaro, 1999, p. 358). Sepsis can be defined as the growth and development of microorganisms in living tissues such as blood. The asepsis thus refers to any particular practice that helps in preventing an infectious agent from entering into sterile tissues and cause infection. The commonly employed aseptic techniques include sterilization methodologies that help in the exclusion of all microorganisms to antisepsis. Moreover antiseptics are chemical compounds that can be directly applied to skin surface as well as on mucous membranes, surgical incisions, and wounds to inhibit or destroy vegetative pathogens. Examples include the preparation of skin with iodine compounds before surgical incisions and utilization of a germicidal soap for washing hand. Decontamination involves limiting the microbial organisms to minimum to prevent spoilage and infection. These techniques are utilized in breweries, restaurants, food industries and dairies such as cleansing utensils with a sanitizer (either detergent or soap). Air sanitization is done in hospitals, laboratory installation and veterinary clinics using ultraviolet lamps (Shimeld & Rodgers, 1999, pp.77-79). Parasites either