What term describes the state of being free from infection and all forms of life?

The term that describes the state of being free from infection and all forms of life is "sterilization." While "asepsis" refers to the state of being free from pathogenic organisms, it does not encompass all forms of life such as spores or non-pathogenic microorganisms.

Sterilization is a process that eliminates all forms of microbial life, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and their spores. This is essential in healthcare and mortuary science settings to ensure that instruments and surfaces are free from any possible contaminants that could lead to infection or compromise the integrity of procedures.

In contrast, "contagion" pertains to the transmission of disease-causing organisms, and "sanitation" refers to maintaining cleanliness and reducing the number of pathogens to a safe level, but it does not achieve complete sterility. Thus, the correct answer reflects the complete eradication of all living microbes, making sterilization the appropriate choice.