7.2 Infection Prevention Flashcards
Common sources of infection
e.g.) environment, food/water, animals, person-person, vector-person
Env.: Legionella
Food/Water: E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria
Animals: Rabies
Person-to-person transmission: influenza, norovirus, gonorrhoea
Vector-to-person transmission: malaria
When is an infection an ‘Endemic disease’
The usual background rate
When is an infection an ‘Outbreak’
Two or more cases linked in time and place
When is an infection an ‘Epidemic’
A rate of infection greater than the usual background rate
When is an infection a ‘Pandemic’
Very high rate of infection spreading across many regions, countries, continents
Factors affecting transmissibility
Method of spread
Infectious dose: no. of organisms required to cause disease
Immunity status of the host
What is the stochastic nature of small scale outbreaks
-no.of people infected at each time interval
-this can be misleading as people can infer to conclusions that the disease has disappeared without considering the fact that this may normally occur without any interventions
E.g.) the outbreak stopping may be accidental
What are the interventions taken in terms of the 4Ps
Pathology: reduction/eradication
Patient improved health: immunity, nutrition, medical treatments
Practice behavioural change: protective equipment
Place: env. engineering
What is a R number
The average no. of cases one generated over the course of its infectious period in an uninfected, non-immune pop.
What is herd immunity
When a large proportion of a community becomes immune to a disease
-as a result, the whole community becomes protected not just those with vaccination
What is the negative consequence of controlling infections
⬇️ exposure to pathogen
⬇️ immune stimulus
⬇️antibody
⬆️susceptible
= OUTBREAK
Increased severity:
-polio
-hep.A
-chicken pox
-congenital rubella syndrome
