Infection Control Flashcards
What is infection control
controlling the spread of infection
What are fomites
any substance or object that adhears to and transmits infectious matirial
What is the number 1 way to prevent the spread of infection?
Hand clensing
WHO 5 minutes of hand washing
- Before touching a patient
- Before a clean (aseptic) procedure
- after body fluid exposure or risk of exposure
- after touching a patient
- after touching a patient’s surroundings
What is a standard precaution
Assume every patient is infected
What is a pathogen
germs
-literally means disease beginning
What are the 4 types of pathogens
Bacteria
Virus
Parasites
Fungi
What is bacteria
one celled microorganisms that are classified by shape
only killed by antibiotics
What is normal flora
helpful bacteria
nonpathogen
What are viruses
- smallest type of microorganism
- made of only a few molecules
- invade host cells where they take nutrients required to multiply
What are parasites
- organisms that live on or in an organism of a diffrent species
- treated with antiparasitics
What are fungi
plant-like microorganisms thatcan be found in the air, in soil, on plants, or in water.
- millions of types
- treated with antifungal
endogenous infection
caused by microorganisms present in the human body
exogenous infection
caused by microorganism, or pathogen, entering the humen body from the outside enviroment
Nosocomial infections
aquired by a person while in a healthcare setting
also known as HAI’s
oppertunistic infections
occur when the body’s defences are weak
an infectious disease
results from an invasion of microorganisms
communicable disease
a type of infectious diease that can be transmitted from one person to another person. not all dieseases are comunicable
nonpathogens
do not cause disease and can help maintain body processes
pathogens
capable of causing disease in a humen host. A germ
infectious agent
the pathogen(germ) that causes diseases
reservoir
includes places in the enviroment where the pathogen lives (this includes people animals and insects, medical equiptment, and soil and water).
Portal of exit
is the way the infectious agent leaves the reservoir (through open wounds, aerosols, and splatter of body fluids including coughing, sneezing, and saliva)
Mode of transmission
is the way the infectious agent can be passed on (through direct or indirect contact, ingestion, or inhalation).
Portal of entry
the way an infectious agent can enter a new host (through broken skin, the respiratory track, mocous membranes, and catheters and tubes)
Suceptible host
can ba any person ( the most vulnerable of whom are recieving healthcare, are immunocompromised, or have invasive medical divises including lines, divises, and airways
contact
direct touching rubbing indirect clothing bed linens
Droplet
direct within 3 feet
cough
sneeze
airborne
inhaling microorganisms carried by moisture or dust particles
cough sneeze
vehicle
contact with contaminated inanimate object
water
blood
vector-borne
contact with contaminated animate hosts
animals
insects
asepsis
being free from infection
sterile
being free from all organisms, including spores and viruses
called surgical asepsis
disinfected
aseptic control method that destroys pathogens but doesn’t usually kill spores and all viruses
part of medical asepsis
antisepsis
aseptic control that inhibits, slows growth of or kills pathogenic organisms not efective agenst spores and all viruses
agenst infection
part of medical asepsis
hand washing
clean
free from organisms causing disease
contaminated
containing germs
mucous membrane
lines the respiratory, digestive, and reproductive tracts. Traps pathogens
cilia
tiny hair like structures that line the respiratory tract and propel pathogens out of the body
coughing and sneezing
expels pathogens out of body
hydrochloric acid
destroys pathogens in stomach
tears in the eye
contain bactericida (bacteria killing) chemicals
fever
high temp destroys some pathogens
inflamation
leuko cytes, or white blood cells, destroy pathogens
Immune response
body produces antibodies to combat pathogens. Cells also secrete protective chemicals such as interferon and complement
What are the 6 chains in infection
infectious agent reservoir of source portal of exit from resivoir or source means of transmission portal of entry to host suceptible host
Body defense mechanisms
mucous membranes cilia coughing and sneezing hydrochloric acid tears in eye fever inflammation immune response
