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Amalgam – a mixture of metals (mercury and tin) that dentists use to fill cavities in teeth.

Antifungal – a substance that kills or reduces fungi.

Antimicrobial – a substance that kills or reduces microbes.

Antiseptic – a substance that kills or reduces microbes present on the body.

Asepsis – a state of being sterile, i.e. having no microbes.

Aseptic technique – a term referring to a healthcare procedure where sterile equipment and a no touch technique is used to prevent infection; it commonly refers to changing wound dressings.

Broad-spectrum – having a wide range of activity.

Cannula – a flexible tube with removable trocar that can be inserted into the body e.g. into a blood vessel.

Catheter – a tube that is passed into the body.

Coagulate – to clot, curdle or form a semi-solid mass.

Colonised – occupied by microbes but not necessarily causing an infection.

Colposcopy – an examination of the inside of the vagina.

Detergent – a cleansing agent. Your local policy should define which detergents are appropriate for use in your particular healthcare setting. Always follow the detergent manufacturer’s instructions.

Diathermy – using high frequency electric current to produce heat in body tissue.

Disinfectant – a chemical than be applied to objects to destroy microbes.

Emollient – a substance that smoothes the skin.

Encephalopathy – any disease of the brain.

Endodontic – concerned with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disorders of the tooth pulp, including root canal treatment.

Endoscope – a flexible or rigid instrument used to examine the inside of the body, made of a long thin tube that is passed into the body (the tube may have a fibreoptic light and small surgical instruments attached).

Endotracheal – inside the trachea (windpipe).

Gastrostomy – a surgical operation to create an opening into the stomach from the wall of the abdomen, so that food can be introduced without passing through the mouth and throat.

Immunocompromised – an impaired immune response that makes the host particularly susceptible to infection.

Impervious – not allowing water to pass through or penetrate it.

Indwelling – left in place for a period of time after being passed into the body.

Infection – the invasion of the body by pathogenic microbes that reproduce and multiply causing disease.

Invasive – entering the body.

Jejunostomy – a surgical operation to make an artificial passage to the jejunum (part of the small intestine) through the wall of the abdomen.

Logbook – an official record of the operation, testing, maintenance, service and repair of a piece of equipment.

Lumen – an internal space, passage or hollow within a medical device (e.g. the narrow passage within an endoscope).

Macerator – to soften by steeping or soaking.


Meconium – the first dark green faeces produced by a newborn baby.

Microbe – a micro-organism, such as a bacterium, virus or fungus, which cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Microbiological surveillance – determining levels and/or types of microbial contamination present on sites or surfaces.

Neutralise – to counteract the effect of something.

Organic matter – substances that come from living things.

Pathogenic – disease causing.

ppm – parts per million (e.g. a 1 % sodium hypochlorite solution provides 10,000 ppm available chlorine).

Primary intention – the way in which a wound, that has its edges closely held together, rapidly heals leaving minimal scarring.

Secondary intention – the way in which an infected or large wound or ulcer that remains open, slowly heals to leaves a prominent scar.

Sphygmomanometer – an instrument used for determining arterial blood pressure indirectly. The two types are aneroid (dial face) and mercury (column).

Sporicidal – an ability to destroy or reduce bacterial spores.

Susceptible – likely to become infected.

Tracheostomy – a surgical operation to make an opening through the throat into the windpipe. This allows air to get to the lungs when the trachea is blocked (e.g. due to pneumonia or diphtheria).

Transmissible – able to spread.

Trocar – a sharp pointed rod that fits inside a tube.

Ventouse – vacuum extraction of a foetus from the uterus or vagina at or near the end of pregnancy using a metal traction cup attached to the foetus' head.

Viricidal – capable of destroying viruses.

Virulent – extremely infectious.