Infection Control Flashcards
Chain of infection
factors that lead to the transmission or spread of disease
reservoir
habitat in which the agent normally lives, grow, and multiplies.
Can be human, animal, or the environment
portal of exit
path by which a pathogen leaves its host.
Can exit through the placenta, cuts, needles in the skin, droplets from the respiratory tract, or saliva.
direct contact
microorganisms transferred from one infected person to another without a contaminated intermediate object/person or direct contact with soil harboring infectious organisms
EX: kissing :3
indirect contact
microorganisms are transferred from an infectious agent through contaminated object, person, suspended air particles, vehicles, or vectors.
EX: blood, saliva, and other secretions from patients
portal of entry
the way a pathogen gets inside the new host.
many portals of entry are the same as the portal of exit.
susceptible host
new home for the pathogen.
individuals can respond differently to the same pathogen due to factors such as genetics or immunity.
How to break the chain of infection?
if 1 of the 5 components is broken then the infection is stopped.
ex: using gloves when working in the mouth.
What is the most important procedure for preventing the spread of infection?
Hand washing!
Is the reservoir always the source from which an agent is transferred to a host?
no, for example, the reservoir for Clostridium botulinum is soil, but the source of most botulism infections in improperly canned foods.
How is Hepatitis A transmitted?
through the “fecal-oral” route.
Can bloodborne agents be transmitted by body fluids and sweat?
They can be transmitted by blood or body fluids EXCEPT sweat.
What are outbreaks of legionnaires?
they are traced to environmental reservoirs such as water supplies in cooling towers and evaporative condensers.
what infections are spread by direct contact?
infectious mononucleosis (mono), gonorrhea, hookworm via soil, herpes simplex virus, HIV, hepatitis
what infections are spread by indirect contact?
hepatitis B and C
what is droplet infection
relatively large (bigger than 10 microns), short-range aerosols produced by sneezing, coughing, or even talking. Can be spread through surfaces by touch and is considered direct transmission.
what are the types of droplet infections that can be spread?
influenza, mumps, rubella viruses, herpes viruses, coronaviruses.
Airborne infections
small particles called drop nuclei or aerosol particles are smaller than 10 microns and can be airborne for HOURS.
Examples of airborne infections
tuberculosis, chickenpox, measles, SARS-Cov-2.
Vehicles
food, water, biological products (blood), and fomites such as handkerchiefs, bedding, or scalpels that can carry infectious agents.
vectors
mosquitos, fleas, and ticks may carry infectious agents.
Blood-borne transmission
spread through blood and other body fluids (not including sweat)
most common blood-borne pathogens that healthcare workers are at risk for
HIV, hepatitis B, Hep C
What is a percutaneous injury?
healthcare worker who is injured by a contaminated syringe.