Infection control Flashcards
What is infection control?
The processes and activities that identify and reduce the risks of acquiring and transmitting endemic or epidemic infections among individuals.
What is meant by primary prevention?
- Preventing new case of infection e.g. though vaccination
What is meant by secondary prevention?
- Detect cases of infection as early as possible e.g. screening
What is meant by tertiary prevention?
- Treatment to individuals who have infection to prevent complications
Describe the chain model of infection.
- Reservoir - a carrier
- Vehicle - means of transmission e.g. physical contact, water
- Susceptible person
Give example pf reservoirs.
- Sneezing
- Pregnancy
- Mosquitos
- STDs
- Dogs: rabies
- Needles
- Holding hands: scabies
Who are more susceptible?
- Babies
- Elderly
- People with medical conditions
What is the solution?
- Contain the source
- Interrupt the transmission
- Reduce susceptibility of the host and/or the number of susceptible hosts
What are the public health tools to control communicable diseases.
– Filtration and disinfection of community drinking water,
pasteurisation of milk, immunisation programmes
– Organised programmes to promote self-protection, case-finding, and effective treatment of infections to stop spread to
susceptible persons
What is CDI?
- Hospital-acquired diarrhoea: spread on the hands of healthcare staff who come into contact with infected patients or with surfaces
- Patients who have been treated with certain antibiotics are at risk
What is Staphylococcus aureus?
A bacterium that colonises human skin and mucosa
How do we screen for MRSA?
- Swab anterior nares and skin lesions or wounds
What treatment is given to those with MRSA?
- Mupirocin nasal ointment
- Clorhexidine gluconate: body- wash/shampoo
