What does sterile mean?

Prepare for the Oklahoma PMU Test with our practice exam. Study using flashcards, multiple choice questions, and get insights with detailed explanations. Ensure you're ready to ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

What does sterile mean?

Explanation:
Sterile means completely free of living microorganisms that could cause infection. In medical practice, the goal of sterilization is to eliminate all viable microbes so nothing that can cause disease remains. Among the given options, the best fit is free from pathogens because pathogens are the disease-causing organisms that sterilization aims to remove to prevent infections. The other choices are narrower or irrelevant: being free from viruses doesn’t cover bacteria, fungi, or spores; being free from bacteria omits viruses and other microbes; and being free from moisture has no relation to true sterility. In strict terms, sterility means no viable microorganisms at all, but among the choices, eliminating pathogens captures the essential infection-control purpose.

Sterile means completely free of living microorganisms that could cause infection. In medical practice, the goal of sterilization is to eliminate all viable microbes so nothing that can cause disease remains. Among the given options, the best fit is free from pathogens because pathogens are the disease-causing organisms that sterilization aims to remove to prevent infections. The other choices are narrower or irrelevant: being free from viruses doesn’t cover bacteria, fungi, or spores; being free from bacteria omits viruses and other microbes; and being free from moisture has no relation to true sterility. In strict terms, sterility means no viable microorganisms at all, but among the choices, eliminating pathogens captures the essential infection-control purpose.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy