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Nursing 20G- Infection Control > Infection Control: Chain of Infection > Flashcards

Infection Control: Chain of Infection Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the elements required for an infection to develop?

A
  • An infectious agent (pathogen)
  • A reservoir for pathogen growth
  • A portal of exit from the reservoir
  • A mode of transmission
  • A portal of entry to a host
  • A susceptible host
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2
Q

What must occur for an infection to develop?

A
  • The chain of infection must remain intact with all elements present
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3
Q

How can nurses prevent infections?

A
  • Follow infection prevention and control practices
  • Break the chain of infection by eliminating one or more elements
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4
Q

What types of microorganisms can cause infections?

A
  • Bacteria
  • Viruses
  • Fungi
  • Protozoa
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5
Q

What are resident microorganisms?

A
  • Permanent residents on the skin
  • Survive and multiply without causing harm
  • Not easily removed by handwashing with plain soap
  • Example: Staphylococcus aureus
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6
Q

What are transient microorganisms?

A
  • Attach to skin from contact with people or objects
  • Loosely attached in dirt, grease, under nails
  • Can be readily transmitted without proper handwashing
  • Example: Escherichia coli
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7
Q

What factors determine a microorganism’s ability to cause disease?

A
  • Sufficient number of organisms
  • Virulence (ability to produce disease)
  • Ability to enter and survive in the host
  • Host susceptibility
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8
Q

What is a reservoir?

A
  • A place where a pathogen can survive but may or may not multiply
  • Examples: Hepatitis A virus in shellfish, Pseudomonas in nebulizers
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9
Q

What is the most common reservoir?

A
  • The human body (skin, body cavities, fluids, discharges)
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10
Q

What is colonization?

A
  • When a pathogen is present on/in the body but does not cause harm
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11
Q

What is a carrier?

A
  • A person/animal with pathogens that can be transferred but no symptoms
  • Example: Hepatitis B virus carrier
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12
Q

Other then the body what other reservoirs exist for pathogens?

A
  • Animals, food, water, insects, inanimate objects
  • Example: Legionella in contaminated water systems
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13
Q

What conditions allow pathogens to thrive in a reservoir?

A
  • Food, oxygen/anaerobic, water, proper temperature, pH, minimal light
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14
Q

What do microorganisms require for nourishment?

A
  • Organic matter
  • Undigested food in the bowel
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Inorganic materials like soil
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15
Q

What microorganism thrives on organic matter and causes gas gangrene?

A
  • Clostridium perfringens
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16
Q

What microorganism consumes undigested food in the bowel?

A
  • Escherichia coli
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17
Q

What do aerobic bacteria require to survive and cause disease?

A
  • Oxygen
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18
Q

Which type of organisms cause more infections, aerobic or anaerobic?

A
  • Aerobic organisms cause more infections
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19
Q

Give examples of aerobic organisms.

A
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Strains of Streptococcus
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20
Q

Where are anaerobic bacteria commonly found colonizing?

A
  • The gastrointestinal tract
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21
Q

What conditions allow anaerobic bacteria to cause infections?

A
  • If the bowel is damaged
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22
Q

What types of infections are typically caused by anaerobes?

A
  • Deep infections in the pleural cavity, joints, or sinus tracts
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23
Q

Name some diseases caused by anaerobic bacteria.

A
  • Tetanus
  • Gas gangrene
  • Botulism
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24
Q

What do most organisms require for survival?

A
  • Water
  • Moisture
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25
Q

Give an example of where microorganisms thrive due to moisture.

A
  • Moist drainage from a surgical wound
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26
Q

What form do some bacteria assume to survive without water?

A
  • Spore form
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27
Q

What property allows bacterial spores to live without water?

A
  • Spores remain viable when deprived of water
  • Spores are resistant to drying
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28
Q

Name some spore-forming bacteria that can live without water.

A
  • Bacteria causing anthrax
  • Bacteria causing botulism
  • Bacteria causing tetanus
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29
Q

What temperature range can most pathogens in humans live in?

A
  • 35°C to 37°C
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30
Q

Can some microorganisms survive temperature extremes fatal to humans?

A
  • Yes
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31
Q

How do cold temperatures affect bacterial growth and reproduction?

A
  • Cold temperatures tend to prevent growth and reproduction of bacteria
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32
Q

What pH range do most microorganisms prefer?

A
  • pH range of 5 to 8
33
Q

In what environment do bacteria particularly thrive?

A
  • Urine with an alkaline pH
34
Q

What environment most organisms cannot survive in?

A
  • The acidic environment of the stomach
35
Q

What medications can cause an overgrowth of gastrointestinal organisms?

A
  • Acid-reducing medications like antacids and histamine 2 blockers
36
Q

What condition can gastrointestinal organism overgrowth contribute to?

A
  • Development of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) pneumonia
37
Q

In what environments do microorganisms thrive?

A
  • Dark environments
  • Under dressings
  • Within body cavities
38
Q

What type of light may be effective in killing certain bacteria?

A
  • Ultraviolet light
39
Q

Give an example of a bacteria that ultraviolet light can kill.

A
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
40
Q

What is a portal of exit?

A
  • The path by which a pathogen leaves the reservoir/host
  • Necessary for pathogens to enter another host and cause disease
41
Q

What are some examples of portals of exit in the human body?

A
  • Body openings (mouth, nose, rectum, vagina, urethra)
  • Artificial openings like ostomies
  • Breaks in the skin (scrapes, cuts, wounds)
  • Breaks in mucous membranes
42
Q

How are pathogens carried through portals of exit?

A
  • Blood
  • Body fluids
  • Excretions (urine, stool, vomit)
  • Secretions (saliva, mucus, pus, vaginal discharge, semen)
43
Q

Give an example of a pathogen exiting through the respiratory tract.

A
  • M. tuberculosis exits through coughing, sneezing, talking, breathing
  • Pathogens exit artificial airways like tracheostomies
44
Q

Give an example of a pathogen exiting through the urinary tract.

A
  • Microorganisms from a urinary tract infection exit during urination
  • Microorganisms exit through urinary diversions like ileal conduits, urostomies
45
Q

How can microorganisms be transmitted from the reservoir to the host?

A
  • Through various modes of transmission
  • A microorganism may transmit through multiple modes
46
Q

Give examples of microorganisms that can spread by airborne route.

A
  • Measles virus
  • Varicella-zoster virus (chickenpox)
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis (tuberculosis)
  • Influenza viruses
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)
  • Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
  • SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus)
  • Rubella virus
  • Adenoviruses
  • Aspergillus fumigatus fungus
  • Coccidioides immitis fungus
  • Certain types of meningitis bacteria like Neisseria meningitidis
  • Smallpox virus
  • Anthrax spores
47
Q

Give examples of microorganisms that can spread by direct route.

A
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Clostridium difficile
  • Norovirus
  • Hepatitis B virus
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
48
Q

What is a major mode of transmission in healthcare facilities?

A
  • Indirect contact
  • Healthcare workers’ hands can pick up and transmit microbes
49
Q

What objects can be modes of indirect pathogen transmission?

A
  • Any object in the environment like stethoscopes or thermometers
  • Some organisms like C. difficile can live on surfaces for months
50
Q

What groups must follow practices to minimize infection spread?

A
  • All healthcare workers providing direct care or support services
  • Each group follows procedures for handling patient equipment/supplies
51
Q

Give an example of how respiratory therapists prevent transmission.

A
  • Perform hand hygiene before working with each patient
  • Properly dispose of contaminated therapy equipment
52
Q

How do invasive diagnostic procedures increase infection risk?

A
  • Provide avenues for pathogen spread
  • Example: Cystoscopy to visualize the bladder
53
Q

What must all healthcare workers do to prevent patient infection?

A
  • Be conscientious about infection control practices
  • Perform proper hand hygiene
  • Ensure equipment is adequately cleaned/disinfected/sterilized
54
Q

What is contact transmission & provide examples?

A
  • Transfer of microbes by physical touch
  • Can be direct contact, indirect contact, or droplet
  • Examples: Clostridioides difficile, Staphylococcus, herpes simplex virus, MRSA, VRE, CPO, Ebola
55
Q

What is direct contact transmission & provide examples?

A
  • Physical skin-to-skin contact between infected/colonized person and susceptible host
  • Examples: Clostridioides difficile, Staphylococcus, herpes simplex virus, MRSA, VRE, CPO, Ebola
56
Q

What is indirect contact transmission & provide examples?

A
  • Contact between susceptible host and contaminated object
  • Examples: Clostridioides difficile, Staphylococcus, RSV, Pseudomonas, MRSA, VRE, CPO
57
Q

What is droplet transmission & provide examples?

A
  • Large respiratory droplets propelled up to 2m, deposited on susceptible host
  • Examples: Influenza virus, rubella virus, RSV, coronavirus, Neisseria meningitidis
58
Q

What is airborne transmission & provide examples?

A
  • Small airborne droplet nuclei remain suspended in air, transmitted long distances
  • Examples: M. tuberculosis, varicella-zoster virus, coronavirus, measles virus
59
Q

What is vehicle transmission & provide examples?

A
  • Single contaminated source transmits to multiple hosts, can cause outbreaks
  • Examples: Pseudomonas (water, meds), E. coli (food, water), Enterobacter (IV fluids), Salmonella (food)
60
Q

What is vectorborne transmission & provide examples?

A
  • Insects or pests transmit microbes to humans
  • Examples: Vibrio cholerae, P. falciparum (malaria), West Nile virus, Lyme disease
61
Q

What are some portals of entry for organisms into the body?

A
  • Body openings (mouth, nose, rectum, vagina, urethra)
  • Breaks in the skin (cuts, scrapes, wounds)
  • Breaks in mucous membranes
62
Q

Give an example of how organisms can enter through the skin.

A
  • When a needle pierces the skin
  • As long as the device remains, more organisms can enter
63
Q

How can organisms enter through a urinary catheter?

A
  • Any obstruction to urine flow allows organisms to travel up the urethra
64
Q

What factors enhance the chances of pathogens entering the body?

A
  • Factors that reduce the body’s defenses
  • Breaks in the skin or mucous membrane barriers (cuts, wounds, invasive procedures)
  • Compromised immune system (due to conditions like HIV/AIDS, cancer treatment, aging)
  • Presence of indwelling medical devices (catheters, IV lines)
  • Poor hygiene practices (lack of handwashing, improper wound care)
  • Exposure to contaminated surfaces, food, or water
  • Lack of vaccinations against preventable infectious diseases
  • Crowded living conditions or high-risk environments (healthcare facilities)
  • Certain lifestyle factors (smoking, poor nutrition, excessive stress)
65
Q

What determines whether a person acquires an infection?

A
  • Pathogen factors: Virulence, infectious dose, ability to adhere and invade host cells
  • Host factors: Immune status, age, underlying medical conditions, genetic factors
  • Environmental factors: Exposure to contaminated sources, hygiene practices, crowding
  • Route of transmission: Airborne, droplet, contact, vector-borne
  • Integrity of host defenses: Intact skin/mucous membranes, normal microbiome
66
Q

Why doesn’t everyone develop an infection despite constant microorganism exposure?

A
  • An infection only develops when an individual becomes susceptible
  • To the strength and numbers of microorganisms capable of causing infection
67
Q

How does organism virulence affect susceptibility?

A
  • The more virulent an organism, the greater the likelihood of susceptibility
68
Q

Why are antibiotic-resistant organisms becoming more common?

A
  • Believed to be associated with frequent and inappropriate antibiotic use
69
Q

How can a person’s resistance to an infectious agent be enhanced?

A
  • By receiving an appropriate vaccine
  • By actually contracting the disease
70
Q

How can nurses intervene to prevent infections?

A
  • Understand the chain of infection
  • Observe for signs and symptoms of infection
  • Take appropriate actions to prevent spread
71
Q

What factors determine the severity of a patient’s illness from infection?

A
  • Pathogen virulence
  • Infectious dose
  • Route of infection
  • Host immune system
  • Age
  • Underlying conditions
  • Timeliness of treatment
  • Extent of the infection
  • Pathogenicity of the microorganism
  • Susceptibility of the host/patient
72
Q

What is a localized infection?

A
  • Restricted to a limited area (e.g. wound infection)
  • Proper care controls spread and minimizes illness
  • May cause localized symptoms like pain, tenderness
73
Q

What is a systemic infection?

A
  • Affects the entire body instead of just one area
  • Can be fatal
74
Q

How does the course of infection influence nursing care?

A
  • Nurses administer and monitor antibiotics
  • Provide supportive therapy like nutrition and rest
  • Complexity depends on body systems affected
75
Q

How can nurses minimize infection spread?

A
  • Use proper technique (e.g. dressing changes)
  • Control transmission if they have breaks in skin
76
Q

What are some mechanisms that protect the body against infection?

A
  • Normal body flora inside and outside the body
  • Defense mechanisms of each organ system
  • Immune response that neutralizes pathogens and repairs cells
77
Q

What composes the immune system?

A
  • Cells and molecules that help resist disease
  • Some responses are nonspecific (normal flora, body defenses, inflammation)
  • Others are specific defenses against particular pathogens
78
Q

What happens if the body’s defenses fail?

A
  • An infection can quickly progress to a serious health problem

Nursing 20G- Infection Control (14 decks)

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