Contaminated is best described as:

• A. Free from all living microorganisms.
• B. Completely clean and disinfected.
• C. Free from infection.
• D. Infected or contaminated by microorganisms.

Answer: (D)

Contaminated means there are microorganisms present on or in something. It is not sterile, not completely clean or disinfected. The idea here is that while something contaminated has microbes on it, that doesn’t necessarily mean disease is already present in a person; it means there’s a risk because microorganisms are present and could cause infection if transferred. This is why the best description is that something is infected or contaminated by microorganisms. In practice, contaminated items need proper disinfection or sterilization before safe use.