What term describes the transfer of pathogens between patients?

The term that best describes the transfer of pathogens between patients is cross-contamination. This concept highlights how infectious agents can be inadvertently transmitted from one individual to another, typically through contaminated surfaces, equipment, or hands. In healthcare settings, where maintaining a sterile environment is crucial, understanding and preventing cross-contamination is essential to protecting patient safety and controlling the spread of infections.

Cross-contamination can occur in various ways, such as through unwashed hands of healthcare workers after they have attended to one patient and before they touch another, or through shared medical instruments that have not been properly disinfected. Recognizing the importance of practices that prevent this transfer is key in infection control protocols.

In contrast, decontamination refers to the process of cleaning or disinfecting to remove contaminants but does not specifically address the transfer aspect. Cleaning involves the removal of dirt and impurities, while sterilization refers to the process of eliminating all forms of microbial life, including bacteria, viruses, and spores. Each of these terms has a distinct focus, with cross-contamination specifically pinpointing the risk of pathogen transfer between patients.