Chapter 4 Flashcards
Infection prevention
The set of methods practiced in healthcare facilities to prevent and control the spread of disease
Infection
The state resulting from pathogens invading the body and multiplying
Pathogen
Microorganism that’s capable of causing infection and disease
Localized infection
An infection that’s limited to a specific location in the body and has local symptoms
Systematic infection
An infection that travels through the bloodstream and is spread throughout the body, causing general symptoms
HAI
An infection acquired in a healthcare setting during the delivery of medical care
Chain of infection
A way of describing how disease is transmitted from 1 human to another
Causative agent
A pathogenic microorganism that causes disease
Reservoir
A place where a pathogen lives and multiplies
Portal of exit
An body opening on an infected person that allows pathogens to leave
Mode of transmission
The way a pathogen travels
Direct contact
A way of transmitting pathogens through touching the infected person or his secretions
Indirect contact
A way of transmitting pathogens from touching an object contaminated by the infected person
Portal of entry
Any body opening on an uninfected person that allows pathogens to enter
Mucous membranes
The membranes that line body cavities that open to the outside of the body, such as the linings of the mouth, eyes, nose, rectum, and genitals
Susceptible host
An uninfected person who could become sick
Transmission
Passage or transfer