Which of the following explicitly refers to the approach of treating all patients as potentially infectious?

The correct answer is standard precautions, which refers to the approach in healthcare settings where all patients are treated as though they could potentially be infectious. This approach encompasses a range of practices designed to prevent the transmission of infections, regardless of a patient's known infection status. Standard precautions include the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), proper hand hygiene, safe handling of sharp instruments, and appropriate cleaning of surfaces, among other measures. This comprehensive strategy is vital for protecting both healthcare providers and patients by minimizing the risk of healthcare-associated infections.

Universal precautions, while similar, specifically addressed bloodborne pathogens and focused on preventing transmission through contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials. Medical asepsis refers to practices intended to reduce the number and spread of pathogens, but it doesn't encompass the broader context of treating all patients as potentially infectious. Isolation procedures are specific measures taken to separate patients with known infections to prevent their spread but do not apply universally to all patients. Thus, standard precautions is the term that most directly captures the concept of treating all patients with the same level of caution regarding infection risk.