Which practice focuses on maintaining cleanliness to prevent the spread of infection?

The practice that focuses on maintaining cleanliness to prevent the spread of infection is medical asepsis. Medical asepsis refers to the techniques and procedures aimed at reducing the number and transmission of pathogens. This includes practices such as hand hygiene, proper disposal of waste, and sanitizing surfaces, all of which play a critical role in controlling infection in healthcare settings.

Medical asepsis is distinct from other practices like surgical asepsis, which involves more rigorous measures to create a sterile environment, particularly in surgical settings. While disinfection is an important concept related to cleaning and controlling infection, it is more specific to the use of chemical agents to eliminate pathogens on surfaces rather than the broader approach to maintaining cleanliness provided by medical asepsis. Asepsis, in a general sense, refers to the absence of contamination but does not specifically focus on the practices that actively maintain cleanliness to prevent infection.

Thus, medical asepsis is the appropriate choice as it embodies the principle of cleanliness and hygiene practices essential to minimizing infection risk in various settings.