Antisepsis er en prosess som dreper eller hemmer bakterier eller andre mikroorganismer på kroppens overflater for å forebygge infeksjon og/eller hindre smitteoverføring. I standarden NS-EN 14885:2022 + AC:2023 inkluderer definisjonen også behandling: «Påføring av et antiseptikum på levende vev som påvirker strukturen eller metabolismen til mikroorganismer til et nivå som vurderes å være tilstrekkelig for å hindre eller begrense og/eller behandle infeksjon i disse vevene.»
Teknisk desinfeksjon er desinfeksjon av «døde» gjenstander og flater, og omtales ikke her.
Det er viktig å skille mellom antisepsis og rengjøring. Vask med vann og såpe eller annet rengjøringsmiddel fjerner urenheter og mikroorganismer, mens hovedeffekten av antiseptika er drap/inaktivering. De fleste antiseptika har liten rengjørende effekt, men i noen tilfeller er de formulert sammen med overflateaktive stoffer for å gi en kombinert effekt, f.eks. ved såkalt hygienisk håndvask (spesifisert i NS-EN 1499). Noen antiseptika har også en iboende rengjørende effekt.
Effekten av antiseptika er avhengig av antallet og typene mikroorganismer ved starten av prosessen, og mekanisk fjerning av mikrober på forhånd vil derfor bedre sluttresultatet. Rengjøring vil også fjerne organisk materiale som kan hemme antiseptika. Det er stor variasjon i ulike mikrobers følsomhet for kjemisk inaktivering. I klinisk praksis er det derfor viktig å velge et antiseptikum for generell bruk som har bredest mulig antimikrobiell effekt.
For mer informasjon, se Desinfeksjon av hud og slimhinner (antisepsis).
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