nonsterile
Harboring live microbes
Nonsterile describes something not free from microorganisms or contaminants.
Medical equipment, surgical fields, and laboratory environments are either sterile or nonsterile—the distinction matters for infection control: Use nonsterile gloves for routine patient care.
The term also applies to organisms unable to reproduce, though *infertile* is more common in that sense.
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- pathogensDisease-causing microorganisms
- microbesMicroscopic living organisms
- germsMicroscopic disease agents
- infectionPathogen invasion causing illness
spores · fungi · virus · septic · infested · contagion · biohazard · microbial
Soiled or contaminated
- impureNot wholly clean
- pollutedMade impure by contaminants
- taintedContaminated, made impure
- adulteratedDiluted with inferior substances
dirty · unhygienic · unsanitized · unwashed · soiled · grimy · filthy · insanitary
Likely to cause injury
- infectiousAble to spread disease
- dangerousApt to cause harm
- riskPossibility of harm
- exposureState of being unprotected
compromised · unprotected · harmful · perilous · vulnerable · threat · precarious · risky
Area of specialty
- techniqueSkilled way of performing
- environmentExternal conditions affecting life
- conditionsPrevailing state of affairs
- equipmentTools for a task
supplies · gloves · instruments · dressing · compounding · processing · manufacturing · packaging
bacteria
Nucleus-free single-celled organisms
- pathogensDisease-causing microorganisms
- microbesMicroscopic living organisms
- germsMicroscopic disease agents
infection · spores · fungi · virus · septic · infested · contagion · biohazard · microbial · pathogenic
unclean
Soiled or contaminated
adulterated · dirty · unhygienic · unsanitized · unwashed · soiled · grimy · filthy · insanitary · foul
hazardous
Likely to cause injury
- infectiousAble to spread disease
- dangerousApt to cause harm
- riskPossibility of harm
exposure · compromised · unprotected · harmful · perilous · vulnerable · threat · precarious · risky · unguarded
field
Area of specialty
- techniqueSkilled way of performing
- environmentExternal conditions affecting life
- conditionsPrevailing state of affairs
equipment · supplies · gloves · instruments · dressing · compounding · processing · manufacturing · packaging · handling
nonsterilesterile
Free from microorganisms
aseptic · sterilized · germ-free · uncontaminated · pathogen-free
sterile, sterilize, sterilized, sterilizing, sterilization, sterilizer, sterility, unsterile, presterilized