Infection control

Question 1

What are three modes of transmission?

Answer 1

Contact: Direct or indirect
Droplets
Airbourne

Question 2

How are transmission-based precautions chosen?

Answer 2

According to the organism and the syndrome it causes

Question 3

Define sterilisation

Answer 3

The process of killing or removing all viable organisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi and spores

Question 4

Define disinfection

Answer 4

The process that eliminates many or all pathogenic microorganisms on inanimate objects with the exception of bacterial spores.

Question 5

Define cleaning

Answer 5

The removal of visible soil from objects and surfaces (essential prior to sterilisation and disinfection)

Question 6

What is the spaulding classification?

Answer 6

It defines how an object will be disinfected:
Critical - objects entering normally sterile environments. e.g. surgery
Semi-critical - objects entering mucosal or non-intact skin
Non-critical - objects that touch only intact skin.

Question 7

Which of the following are spread via the airborne route?
Rhinovirus
Pertussis
N. meningitidis
Tuberculosis
Measles
Varicella

Answer 7

Droplets that are > 5microns drop to the ground within 1 meter of the patient. Such droplets are produced in rhinovirus and pertussis infection, and in patients colonised with N. meningitidis

Tuberculosis, measles and varicella are < 5 microns and are therefore airborne.