Session 8 Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is an example of person to person indirect transmission?
Malaria (Spread via Plasmodium parasite using the female Anopheles Mosquito as a vector)
Define an Endemic disease
The usual background rate of a disease
Define an Outbreak of a disease
2 or more cases linked in time and place
Define an Epidemic of a disease
A rate of infection greater than the usual background rate
Define a Pandemic of a disease
A very high rate of infection spreading across many regions, countries and continents
Define Basic reproduction number
How many secondary cases you are likely to get from one infected person
What happens to the number of cases if R > 1?
There is an increase in the number of cases
What happens to the number of cases if R < 1?
There is a decrease in the number of cases
What happens to the number of cases if R = 1?
There is a stable number of cases
How can a pathogen cause a new outbreak of infection?
By developing new antibiotic resistance genes
By gaining new virulence factors
How can a host cause a new outbreak of infection?
Non immune
Healthcare effects
New environment eg hospital
How can practice cause a new outbreak of infection?
A change in practice
Guidelines not being followed correctly
Define Infectious dose
The number of organisms needed to cause an infection
How can a host be naturally immune to an infection?
Due to a lack of binding sites
Define Stochastic
Randomness
Define Herd immunity
The more people that are vaccinated, the less are susceptible to becoming infected and therefore passing on the infection.
How can someone who has been vaccinated contract the infection anyway?
If their vaccination was many years ago and their body hasn’t been exposed to the pathogen throughout the years (Due to it being a disease/infection that isn’t common anymore) The level of antibodies will drop
How can hospitals decrease transmission?
Decontamination of environment and medical devices
Disinfection of patients (Skin before surgery. Decreases bioburden)
Sterilisation of medical devices
Eliminate vector breeding sites
