Which term means a substance that kills bacteria?

• A. Bactericide
• B. Azotemia
• C. Audiogram
• D. Autoimmunity

Answer: (A)

A substance that kills bacteria is called a bactericide. The root -cide means to kill, and bacteri- refers to bacteria, so a bactericide acts to destroy bacteria rather than merely inhibiting their growth. This contrasts with bacteriostatic agents, which stop bacteria from multiplying but don’t necessarily kill them. The other terms are unrelated to killing bacteria: azotemia involves elevated waste products in the blood, an audiogram is a chart of hearing thresholds, and autoimmunity refers to the immune system attacking the body's own tissues.