Infection Control

Question 1

What is a Communicable disease?

Answer 1

Infection is acquired by contact with a source of micro-organisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi, viruses)

Question 2

Examples of Communicable disease?

Answer 2

• Spread from person to person
• Airborne viruses or bacteria
• Blood
• Bodily Fluids

-TB/Hep/MRSA/HIV/STD

Question 3

How are CD’s dispersed?

Answer 3

• Air currents (coughing/Sneezing)
• Contact
• Ingestion
• Contact with bodily fluids

Question 4

What factors affect risk of cross infection?

Answer 4

• Virulence of organism

- Health status of patient e.g Child/Elderly/Immunocompromised patients

Question 5

What is Sterilisation?

Answer 5

Sterilisation is defined as the complete destruction of all micro-organisms and their spores, by chemical or physical agents

Question 6

What is disinfection?

Answer 6

Disinfection is defined as the destruction of potentially pathogenic micro-organisms, but not their spores

Question 7

How are bacterial spores produced?

Answer 7

By bacteria.

-Formed in response to adverse environmental conditions.

Question 8

What are bacterial spores resistant to?

Answer 8

Heat

Dehydration

Radiation

Chemicals

Question 9

What specific risks are there in a lab?

Answer 9

• Large numbers of patients
• Breathe in/out
• Risk associated with procedures/tests
• Immunocompromised patients/elderly patients
• Infectious patients (known vs unknown)
• ? multiple patients in same lab

Question 10

How can we decrease risks?

Answer 10

• Hand Washing
• Lab SOP
• Correct disposal of sharps
• Robust equipment cleaning (sterilisation)
• Single Use items
• Staff Training
• Occ Health

Question 11

What are the 2 types of bacterial viral filters?

Answer 11

• Electrostatic Membrane -> a charged material that traps particles/organisms by electrostatic charges on the fibres
• Pleated membranes -> a material containing numerous tightly packed folds physically stopping bacteria/viruses

Question 12

What are immunocompromised patients?

Answer 12

A state in which the persons immune system is weakened or absent.

E.g HIV/Chemo patients/CF

• Try to test first

Question 13

Active TB?

Answer 13

If respiratory equipment (e.g. mouthpieces, tubing, spirometers) has been exposed to a patient with known TB, equipment should be removed from use immediately

Question 14

Should patients with Active TB be treated?

Answer 14

No.

Question 15

TB is caused by?

Answer 15

Myobacterium Tuberculosis

Question 16

How is TB spread?

Answer 16

Airborne (cough sneeze etc)

Question 17

How can we diagnose?

Answer 17

• CXR
• Sputum test
• Mantoux test

Question 18

What is Pseudomonas?

Answer 18

Can enter lung tissue (and colonise) in CF patients, and cause serious infection & mortality.

• Spread via contaminated hands/eqpt

Question 19

Blood Spills?

Answer 19

For minor spillages (few drops) wear gloves

For major spillages, gloves/apron/masks

Isolate the spillage area

Area is washed down with appropriate solution (e.g. 10% hypochlorite)

Report incident as per local policy