Final answer:
The term for an agent that stops microbial growth but does not necessarily kill the microorganism is 'bacteriostatic.' Fungistatic would be used if the targets are fungi instead of bacteria. Effectiveness of bacteriostatic agents depends on factors such as the microbial susceptibility and concentration of the agent.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term used to describe an agent that causes microbial growth to come to a standstill is bacteriostatic. Bacteriostatic agents inhibit the growth of bacteria without necessarily killing them outright. For example, when applying a microbial control protocol that inhibits the growth of molds and yeast, the correct term would be fungistatic as it specifically relates to fungal organisms. In the scenario provided, if a chemical or physical method ends in the suffix -stat or -static, such as bacteriostatic or fungistatic, it indicates that these agents inhibit microbial growth rather than killing microbes outright.
To maintain effective microbial control, it's also important to consider the susceptibility of the microorganisms, the concentration and contact time of the antimicrobial agents, and potential barriers to penetration like organic debris or biofilms. When choosing an appropriate control protocol, these factors determine the effectiveness of microbial control and whether a bacteriostatic or bactericidal treatment is more suitable.