Textbook Question
Describe five physical methods of microbial control.
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Ch. 9 - Controlling Microbial Growth in the Environment
Bauman6th EditionMicrobiology with Diseases by TaxonomyISBN: 9780134832302
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Table of contents
- Ch. 1 - A Brief History of Microbiology31
- Ch. 2 - The Chemistry of Microbiology28
- Ch. 3 - Cell Structure and Function39
- Ch. 4 - Microscopy, Staining, and Classification25
- Ch. 5 - Microbial Metabolism51
- Ch. 6 - Microbial Nutrition and Growth37
- Ch. 7 - Microbial Genetics51
- Ch. 8 - Recombinant DNA Technology21
- Ch. 9 - Controlling Microbial Growth in the Environment36
- Ch. 10 - Controlling Microbial Growth in the Body: Antimicrobial Drugs21
- Ch. 11 - Characterizing and Classifying Prokaryotes29
- Ch. 12 - Characterizing and Classifying Eukaryotes34
- Ch. 13 - Characterizing and Classifying Viruses, Viroids, and Prions23
- Ch. 14 - Infection, Infectious Diseases, and Epidemiology35
- Ch. 15 - Innate Immunity34
- Ch. 16 - Adaptive Immunity21
- Ch. 17 - Immunization and Immune Testing29
- Ch. 18 - Immune Disorders22
- Ch. 19 - Pathogenic Gram-Positive Bacteria25
- Ch. 20 - Pathogenic Gram-Negative Cocci and Bacilli28
- Ch. 21 - Rickettsias, Chlamydias, Spirochetes, and Vibrios25
- Ch. 22 - Pathogenic Fungi47
- Ch. 23 - Parasitic Protozoa, Helminths, and Arthropod Vectors44
- Ch. 24 - Pathogenic DNA Viruses23
- Ch. 25 - Pathogenic RNA Viruses30
- Ch. 26 - Applied and Industrial Microbiology29
- Ch. 27 - Microbial Ecology and Microbiomes22
Bauman6th EditionMicrobiology with Diseases by TaxonomyISBN: 9780134832302Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 9, Problem 6
The endospores of which organism can be used as a biological indicator of sterilization?
a. Bacillus stearothermophilus
b. Salmonella enterica
c. Mycobacterium tuberculosis
d. Staphylococcus aureus
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that biological indicators for sterilization are typically highly resistant bacterial endospores used to test the effectiveness of sterilization processes.
Recall that Bacillus species are commonly used as biological indicators because their endospores are very resistant to heat and chemical sterilization methods.
Identify that Bacillus stearothermophilus is a thermophilic bacterium whose endospores are especially resistant to moist heat sterilization (autoclaving), making it a standard biological indicator for steam sterilization.
Recognize that the other organisms listed (Salmonella enterica, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus) do not form endospores and therefore are not suitable as biological indicators for sterilization.
Conclude that the correct organism whose endospores are used as a biological indicator of sterilization is Bacillus stearothermophilus.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Endospores and Their Resistance
Endospores are highly resistant, dormant structures formed by certain bacteria to survive extreme conditions. Their resistance to heat, chemicals, and radiation makes them ideal for testing sterilization processes, as surviving endospores indicate ineffective sterilization.
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Endospores
Biological Indicators in Sterilization
Biological indicators use resistant microorganisms, like bacterial endospores, to verify sterilization efficacy. If the indicator spores are killed during sterilization, it confirms the process was successful; if not, sterilization failed.
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Bacillus stearothermophilus as a Sterilization Indicator
Bacillus stearothermophilus produces heat-resistant endospores commonly used as biological indicators for steam sterilization (autoclaving). Their high resistance to moist heat makes them a standard choice to validate sterilization cycles.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
What is the difference between thermal death point and thermal death time?
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Textbook Question
A company that manufactures an antimicrobial cleaner for kitchen counters claims that its product is effective when used in a 50% water solution. By what means might scientists best verify this statement?
a. Disk-diffusion test
b. Phenol coefficient
c. Filter paper test
d. In-use test
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Textbook Question
Why are Gram-negative bacteria more susceptible to heat than Gram-positive bacteria?
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Textbook Question
Defend the following statement: “Pasteurization is not sterilization.”
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Textbook Question
Which of the following statements is true concerning the selection of an antimicrobial agent?
a. An ideal antimicrobial agent is stable during storage
b. An ideal antimicrobial agent is fast acting
c. Ideal microbial agents do not exist
d. All of the above are correct
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