Disease Transmission Flashcards
What is a pathogen?
A pathogen is a disease-producing microorganism such as a virus.
What is transmission?
Transmission is the spread of a disease.
What is contamination?
Contamination means a pathogen is possibly present. Contamination occurs through a lack of proper hygiene standards or by failure to take appropriate infection control precautions.
What is a communicable disease?
A communicable disease, also known as a contagious disease, is any condition that is transmitted from one person to another, either directly or by indirect contact with contaminated objects
What does communicable mean?
Communicable means capable of being transmitted. Some diseases, such as measles, are capable of being transmitted through multiple methods.
What is indirect contact transmission?
Indirect contact transmission refers to situations in which a susceptible person is infected by contact with a contaminated surface. Frequent handwashing is essential for the prevention of disease transmission.
What is blood-borne transmission?
Blood-borne transmission is a spread of disease through contact with infected blood or other body fluids that are contaminated by infected blood. Examples include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B, most sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
What is droplet transmission?
Droplet transmission is a spread of diseases, such as measles, cold, and flu through large respiratory droplets sprayed by coughing or sneezing onto a nearby person or object. The use of a facemask as a precaution helps limit this type of transmission, which is a primary cause of nosocomial (hospital acquired) infections.
What is airborne transmission?
Airborne transmission occurs through contact with germs floating in the air. When someone coughs or sneezes, certain pathogens can remain airborne for a long period of time, infecting someone, even after the sick person is gone. Examples include tuberculosis, measles, and chickenpox.
What does foodborne and waterborne transmission?
Foodborne and waterborne transmission, also known as fecal-oral transmission, is caused by eating or drinking contaminated, food or water that has not been properly treated to remove contamination or kill any pathogens present.
What does vector-borne transmission mean?
Vector-borne transmission is a spread of certain disease due to the bite of a vector. As used here, the term vector describes insects or animals, such as flies, mites, fleas, ticks, rats, and dogs, that are capable of transmitting a disease.
What is the most common type of vector?
Mosquitoes are the most common vectors, and the diseases they transmit include malaria and West Nile virus.
