What are the characteristics of an ideal antimicrobial agent? Which procedure is currently the standard test for evaluating the efficiency of antiseptics and disinfectants? Which method would be used to sterilize a mattress? True or false--100% alcohol is more effective at denaturing protein than 90% alcohol True or false-- Slow freezing is more damaging to microbial cells than quick freezing. True or false-- By themselves, soaps have only degerming activity, not antimicrobial activity. is the process of freeze-drying microbes to preserve them. Natural antiseptics such as pine or clove oil are examples of antimicrobial compounds called A(n) is an iodine-containing organic compound found in such antiseptics as Betadine. is a method for preserving microbes so that they can be resuspended at a later time The amount of time needed to sterilize materials using moist heat is (greater than/less than) the time needed to sterilize using dry heat. is a phenolic antimicrobial compound that has been incorporated into consumer items such as garbage bags and diapers Elements such as iodine, chlorine, and bromine are examples of , which are the basis for many effective antimicrobial agents. Sterilization procedures generally focus on the inactivation or elimination of bacterial Short answer/essay questions Why are Gram-negative bacteria more susceptible to heat than Gram-positive bacteria? Describe three types of microbes that are extremely resistant to antimicrobial treatment, and explain why they are resistant. Why is it necessary to use strong disinfectants in areas exposed to tuberculosis patients. Why do warm disinfectant chemicals generally work better than cool ones? How can campers effectively treat stream water to remove pathogenic protozoa, bacteria, and viruses?

1. The substance which has power to kill or inhibit the microorganisms is called an antimicrobial agents.is The characteristics of an ideal antimicrobial agents are:

The chemical should have the broad spectrum of activity against microbes at low concentration with features of least or no toxicity and should be water and other solvents soluble for effective use.

The antimicrobial agent should be stable and work at room temperature or the environment temperature because the chemical reactions are specific of temperatures.

Its germicidal applications should be only targeted at the site of action.

The Chemical agent should possess uniformity in composition thus allowing active ingredients to be used.

These chemicals should be found in abundance and with affordable cost.

2. The disk-diffusion method is used currently as a standard method for evaluating the efficiency of disinfectant against a particular microbe where as use-dilution test determines the efficiency of disinfectants on a surface.

And in-use test determines the efficacy of antiseptics.

3. Antibacterial Spray is used for disinfecting mattresses which causes removal of germs and critters by killing it, and stains of sweat get broken up. The spray should be bleach free because it can damage fibres of mattresses.

4. False- 100% alcohol is not effective at denaturing protein than 90% alcohol because proteins are denatured more quickly in the presence of water.

5. True- Slow freezing is more damaging to microbial cells than quick freezing because the slow freezing causes the formation of large crystals of ice in cells that results in microbial cell structure disruption and thus killing more microbes as compared to quick freezing.

6. True- Soaps have only degerming activity not antimicrobial activity.

Soap is bar or liquid form of sodium and potassium salts of stearic acid and other fatty acids. They don't kill the germs but remove transient flora which are loose.

7. "Lyophilization" is the process of freeze-drying microbes to preserve them.

In this process, water is removed from the frozen sample of microbes followed by introducing them in to a protective medium, frozen and exposed to vacuum. They are preserved under vacuum in a glass vial after drying.

8. Natural antiseptics such as pine or clove oil are examples of antimicrobial compounds called -

Terpenes and Terpenoids in pine oil and Eugenol in clove oil are responsible for antimicrobial properties.

9. Povidone-iodine (PVP-I) is the iodine containing organic compound found in antiseptics such as betadine.

10. Freeze drying bacteria is a method of preserving microbes so that they can resuspended at a later time.

11. The amount of time needed to sterilize materials using moist heat is less than the time needed to sterilize using dry heat.

Dry heat radiates and its penetration capacity is less, that's why it takes longer time for treating as compared to moist heat. Moist heat works by inactivating and coagulating the proteins of microbes.

12. " Triclosan" is a phenolic antimicrobial compound that has been incorporated into consumer items such as garbage bags and diapers.

It is a polychloro phenoxy phenol with antibacterial and anti fungal properties.

13. Elements such as iodine, chlorine and bromine are examples of Halogen, which are the basis for many effective antimicrobial agents.

14. Sterilization procedure generally focuses on the elimination of bacteria.

This process include heat, ethylene oxide gas, hydrogen peroxide gas, plasma, ozone and radiation and kills all microbes.

15. The cell membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is thin where as the membrane of Gram-positive bacteria is 20-fold thicker as compared to the protective covering of Gram-negative bacteria. This makes quite difficult for heat to weaken the fortifications of Gram-positive bacteria.

16. The three types of microbes that are extremely resistant to antimicrobial agents are:

i). Endospores - Its cells are highly resistant to preserve the cell's genetic material.

ii) Mycobacteria- Its resistance is due to the presence of thick, waxy, hydrophobic cell envelope. And also drug degrading and modifying enzymes are found in this bacteria making it a highly resistant to antimicrobial agents.

iii) Fungal Cells as well as Spores- Fungal cell-wall shows high chitin content and presence of beta-D-glucan content makes the fungal cell highly resistant.

17. Patients diagnosed with pulmonary TB, their sputum may contain tubercle bacilli and the mycobacteria is highly resistant. Thats why strong disinfectants are used in areas exposed to tuberculosis patients.

18. Warm disinfectant chemicals generally work better than cool ones because heating the chemicals is done for denaturing of proteins and altering the membrane structure microbial cells thus killing the microbes in a very effective way.

19. Campers effectively treat stream water to remove pathogenic protozoa, bacteria and viruses by the process of filtration first which is then followed by boiling the water.