Final answer:
Bacteriostatic treatments limit the growth of bacteria whereas bactericidal treatments kill bacteria. For molds and yeast, the equivalent term for a growth-inhibiting treatment is fungistatic. Therefore, D. fungistatic is the best descriptor for a microbial control protocol that inhibits the growth of molds and yeast.
Step-by-step explanation:
The terms bacteriostatic and bactericidal describe two different effects that antimicrobial treatments can have on bacteria. A bacteriostatic treatment inhibits the growth of bacteria, meaning it stops them from multiplying but does not kill them. In contrast, a bactericidal treatment actually kills the bacteria.
To answer the specific question asked, the microbial control protocol that inhibits the growth of molds and yeast would be described as fungistatic. Therefore, the answer to the given multiple-choice question would be D. fungistatic.
It's important to choose the correct type of microbial control based on the situation. For instance, factors such as a patient's immune status and the type of infection are essential considerations. Bactericidal drugs are necessary for treating life-threatening infections or for patients with weakened immune systems, while bacteriostatic treatments might be adequate for patients with strong immune defenses.