BLOCK 5: PHYSICAL/BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS AND CONTROLS - Unit 9: Biological Health Hazards (complete)

Question 1

A microorganism, or a toxin derived from a microorganism, which causes disease in man, plants, or animals or which causes the deterioration of material.

Answer 1

BIOLOGICAL AGENT

Question 2

The intentional use of viruses, bacteria, other microorganisms, or toxins derived from living organisms to cause death or disease in humans, animals, or plants.

Answer 2

BIOLOGICAL WARFARE

Question 3

A microorganism able to cause disease.

Answer 3

PATHOGEN

Question 4

Microorganisms that are present in human blood and can cause disease in humans. These include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Answer 4

BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS

Question 5

(1) The following human body fluids: semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, pericardial fluid, peritoneal fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva in dental procedures, any body fluid that is visibly contaminated with blood, and all body fluids in situations where it is difficult or impossible to differentiate between body fluids;

(2) Any unfixed tissue or organ (other than intact skin) from a human (living or dead); and

(3) HIV containing cell or tissue cultures, organ cultures, and HIV or HBV containing culture medium or other solutions; and blood, organs, or other tissues from experimental animals infected with HIV or HBV.

Answer 5

OTHER POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS MATERIALS (OPIM)

Question 6

A general term applied to the entry and development/multiplication of an infectious agent in the body of people, animals, or plants.

Answer 6

INFECTION

A microorganism is able to overcome the defense barriers and live inside the host; tissue damage may or may not result. (Microbiology for the Health Sciences, 14th ed.)

Question 7

Refers to those conditions where the host‘s tissues are damaged or their function is altered by the microorganisms. Disease is usually recognized by a sequence of signs and symptoms.

Answer 7

DISEASE

Question 8

Infection results from an orderly progression of events which is referred to as the ____________________ and is represented here. Each link must be present for infection to
occur.

Answer 8

CHAIN OF INFECTION

The six conditions or links necessary for infection and illness to occur are as follows:
1. The agent must be pathogenic.
2. There must be a reservoir of a sufficient number for the organism to live and reproduce.
3. The agent must be able to escape from the reservoir.
4. The organism must be transferable or able to move or be moved through the environment
by various means.
5. There must be a portal of entry to the new host.
6. The new host must be susceptible to the agent. (The Occupational Environment: Its Evaluation, Control and Management, AIHA)

If any one of the links in the chain is broken, the infection/disease cannot spread.

Infection control is breaking any link in the chain.

Question 9

TRUE OR FALSE:

Humans have microorganisms on every surface and in every external orifice of their bodies; however, only a small proportion of those agents is capable of producing an infection that could lead to disease.

Answer 9

TRUE

Question 10

Individuals who harbor communicable infectious agents without exhibiting signs of disease are called _______________.

Answer 10

CARRIERS

They can be a source of infection in co-workers, especially if the agent is transmitted by the aerosol route (as with measles or tuberculosis).

Question 11

What are the four major ways a pathogen, whether found in a workplace or used in terrorist attacks, enters the body?

Answer 11

1.) INHALATION
2.) ABSORBTION VIA DERMAL (SKIN) CONTACT
3.) INGESTION
4.) INJECTION

Question 12

______________________ is the most commonly encountered cause of occupational disease.

Answer 12

ABSORBTION VIA DERMAL CONTACT

Question 13

The act of breathing a substance directly into the lungs.

Biological agents entering the body via this route may not only affect the lungs and associated structures but may spread to other organs via the blood stream, causing further adverse effects.

Answer 13

INHALATION

Question 14

The main routes of entry for chemicals through the skin are the hair follicles, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, and cuts or abrasions of the outer layers of the skin.

Answer 14

ABSORBTION VIA DERMAL CONTACT

Question 15

Refers to taking the substance into the stomach, usually through eating or drinking.

Answer 15

INGESTION

Question 16

Many times, ingestion of a harmful substance is ________________

Answer 16

ACCIDENTAL

For example, if workers do not wash their hands before they eat, drink, or smoke, they may contaminate their food, drink, or cigarette and then ingest the contaminant. Personnel may also ingest food or water which was deliberately contaminated as an act of bioterrorism.

Question 17

Although not a common route of transmission in many industrial shops, it more frequently occurs in places where there are contaminated needles and/or sharp instruments used such as hospitals or medical laboratories. For example, if someone were to accidentally get cut or stuck by a needle, then that person can be exposed to the contaminant that was on or in the needle.

Answer 17

INJECTION

Another way to receive an injection hazard is through pressurized air. A strong pressure of air can push or inject a substance into the skin due to the strong pounds per square inch (psi).

Question 18

The oldest and most abundant life forms on earth and are found almost everywhere.

Answer 18

BACTERIA

This photo is of Streptococcus bacteria.

Bacteria invade host tissues or produce toxins (some do both), and usually respond well to antibiotics.

Question 19

Nonliving infectious agents. They are intracellular parasites that are totally dependent on a living host and require living host cells in order to replicate.

Answer 19

VIRUSES

Viruses can cause infectious diseases and are not treatable with antibiotics. This makes them hard to fight. Vaccines are a valuable tool to prepare our bodies to fight some viruses (and some bacteria). Examples of diseases caused by viruses are common colds; warts; influenza; hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E; herpes; poliovirus; and rabies.

This picture is of the virus responsible for the common cold.

Question 20

Viruses that are transmitted to vertebrates, such as people and mammals, by blood-feeding insects called arthropods, such as mosquitoes.

Answer 20

ARBOVIRUSES (ARTHRPOD-BORNE VIRUSES)

Examples of arboviruses that are transmitted to people by mosquitoes include West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, and Ebola virus.

The pic above is the Ebola virus.

Question 21

Any harmful substance produced by living organisms (animals, plants, microbes).

Answer 21

TOXIN

Examples of toxins that may be used as biological agents include botulinum toxins, ricin, staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), and T-2 mycotoxins.

The pic above is the toxin Ricin, found naturally in the beans of the caster bean plant, and is stable under normal conditions.

Question 22

Mushrooms, molds, and yeast and are commonly found in degrading organic matter.

Answer 22

FUNGI

Some fungi may cause disease varying in severity from superficial skin conditions to widely spread infections affecting internal organs. Examples of diseases caused by fungi include ―ringworm (tinea capitis), coccidioidomycosis, and histoplasmosis.

Inhaling the spores of fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum (in the pic) leads to histoplasmosis. Commonly found in bird or bat droppings.

Question 23

_______________ live in or on the host and get their nutrients from the host.

Answer 23

PARASITES

The pic is of Toxoplasma Gondii, which leads to toxoplasmosis.

Question 24

A family of rare, progressive neurodegenerative disorders that affect both humans and animals; they progress rapidly and are always fatal.

Answer 24

PRION DISEASES

Question 25

Occurs when a susceptible host comes in contact with a pathogen source either directly (including droplet spread) or indirectly.

Answer 25

CONTACT TRANSMISSION

Direct contact transmission occurs when microorganisms are transferred from one infected person to another person without a contaminated intermediate object or person.

Question 26

Type of Contact Transmission:

Refers to respiratory droplets (such as those produced by sneezing or coughing) carrying infectious pathogens that transmit infection when they travel directly from the respiratory tract of the infectious individual to susceptible mucosal surfaces of the recipient, generally over short distances (usually less than three feet).

Answer 26

DROPLET SPREAD

Question 27

Occurs when an infectious agent is transmitted to a host by a vector such as a mosquito, flea, or tick.

Answer 27

VECTOR-BORNE TRANSMISSION

Question 28

Occurs when infectious agents, carried by dust or droplet nuclei suspended in the air, are inhaled into the respiratory system.

Answer 28

AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION

Question 29

Biological hazard information can be found from various intelligence agencies and products. BE should consult the _________________________ for information.

Answer 29

BASE or LOCAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICER

The base Medical Intelligence Officer (usually the PH Officer) is another excellent source of information regarding health threats in the workplace as well as in deployed locations.

Question 30

The ____________________ section provides current medical intelligence focusing on those infectious diseases that could degrade mission effectiveness of deployed forces. They produce medical intelligence information needed for an OEHSA.

Answer 30

NCMI’s EPDEMIOLOGY SECTION

NCMI = National Center for Medical Intelligence

Question 31

Publishes the Medical Management of Biological Casualties Handbook (also known as the Blue Book).

Answer 31

U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID)

Question 32

Authors numerous publications including those dealing with disaster response, including biological agent response, deployment health, and other health-related information.

Answer 32

U.S. Army Public Health Center (USAPHC)

Question 33

Has numerous publications and a comprehensive web site containing information on biological agents, biological warfare/terrorism, and occupational exposure to a multitude of biological agents

Answer 33

CDC

Question 34

Biological materials (bacteria, viruses, and toxins) found in medical research, pharmaceutical, or other manufacturing processes that are toxic to humans and animals and are included under Toxic Industrial Material (TIM).

Answer 34

TOXIC INDUSTRIAL BIOLOGICALS (TIB)

Question 35

All TIC/TIMs that may exist on and around an Air Force base located within a __________ radius of the base should be identified IAW (AFMAN 48-154, OEHSA, Section 3.4)

Answer 35

20-MILE

Question 36

Puncture-resistant sharps disposal containers are an example of _____________________ controls.

Answer 36

ENGINEERING

Safer self-sheathing sharps and isolation rooms are other examples of engineering controls.

Question 37

_______________ is often cited as the single most important practice to reduce the transmission of infectious agents in healthcare settings.

Answer 37

HAND HYGEINE (WASHING/SANITIZING)

Question 38

Refers to the prevention of disease by the administration of vaccines or hyperimmune sera (i.e. sera containing large quantities of specific antibodies) before a person is exposed.

Answer 38

IMMUNOPROPHYLAXIS

Question 39

The administration of medicines to treat a person.

Answer 39

CHEMOPROPHYLAXIS

Question 40

The CDC recommends _________________________ for the care of all patients, regardless of their diagnosis or presumed infection status; a group of infection prevention practices that applies to all patients, regardless of suspected or confirmed diagnosis or presumed infection status.

Answer 40

STANDARD PRECAUTIONS

Standard Precautions is based on the principle that all blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions except sweat, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes may contain transmissible infectious agents.

Question 41

The separation from other people of a person or group infected with a communicable disease, while such disease is in a communicable phase, to prevent the spread of infection.

Answer 41

ISOLATION

Question 42

The compulsory detention or other restriction, including isolation, for purposes of preventing or limiting the spread of disease. It applies to individuals or groups reasonably believed to be infected with a communicable disease, while such disease is in a communicable or pre-communicable phase.

Answer 42

QUARANTINE

Restricting movement of personnel may help prevent or limit the transmission of a communicable disease.

Question 43

___________ is used to prevent the biological agent from reaching the worker’s airway, skin, mucous membranes, and clothing. It must create an effective barrier between the exposed worker and the agent.

Answer 43

PPE

PPE includes items such as:
* Gloves
* Gowns
* Lab coats
* Shoe covers
* Goggles
* Masks
* Respiratory protection
* Glasses with side shields

Respiratory protection is used to prevent transmission of airborne infectious agents. In the healthcare setting, respiratory protection currently requires the use of a respirator with N95 or higher filtration to prevent inhalation of infectious particles.