Glossary
Enhance your knowledge of infection prevention with our comprehensive glossary. Find definitions and expand your understanding of hygiene terms. Equip yourself for hospital work.
Learn more
Infectious particles without own metabolism containing genetic material in form of nucleic acid. Viruses either have a lipoprotein envelope or no envelope. As they do not carry out metabolic processes themselves, they require host cells to replicate. Enveloped viruses (HIV, hepatitis B or C virus, herpes simplex virus) are inactivated by disinfectants relatively easily. In contrast, nonenveloped viruses (poliovirus, adenovirus) need disinfectants tested for virucidal activity.
