The main difference between asepsis and antisepsis lies in the fact that the latter is the disinfection of a place, while the first deals with the preventive hygiene.
Both terms are often confused and although they are related, each has a different meaning.
What is asepsis?
Asepsis consists of a set of methods and processes for cleaning a given environment, in order to avoid contamination by infectious and pathological agents.
What is antisepsis?
Antisepsis, on the other hand, differs mainly because it is used in places where there is the presence of unwanted microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and other pathological agents).
In this case, antisepsis is carried out through the use of chemical substances, such as microbicides, for example, which aim to eliminate or reduce the proliferation of bacteria (or other unwanted microorganisms), either in a living organism or in a environment.
Both processes – asepsis and antisepsis – are common in places where the presence of these microorganisms must be completely avoided, such as laboratories and hospitals, for example.
And the degermation?
Another well-known and more commonly used disinfection process is degermation, which consists of elimination of dirt and impurities from the skin, either through soaps or specific liquid detergents for cleaning.
Washing your hands and taking a shower are examples of degerming.
See also the difference between:
- Viruses, bacteria and fungi
- Urgency and emergency
- Incidence and Prevalence
