Infection prevention and control Flashcards
Define colonisation
Presence and multiplication without tissue invasion or damage
Define infection
Entry and multiplication in tissues causing damage
Define carrier
Person who harbours microbes with no signs of disease
Define infection reservoir
place where microbes are persisting, live and reproduce, and from there can be picked up and passed on to people
Different modes of transmission
Examples of airborne infections
- Legionnaire’s disease
- TB
- Respiratory viruses
Examples of infections that spread by contact
- Staphylococcus aureus from hands
- Salmonella from food
Examples of infections that are inocculated
- HIV or viral hepatitis from a needlestick injury
- Malaria from a mosquito bite
- Tetanus from a contaminated traumatic wound
Define endogenous infection
self infection with own organisms
- Surgical wound infections, pneumonia, UTI
Examples of natural barriers
- Skin (wounds)
- Stomach acid (PPIs)
- Mucus/cilia (CF)
- Urinary flow (catheters)
Examples of immunocompromised groups
- Chemotherapy
- Haematological malignancy
- Comorbidities e.g. diabetes
Examples of exposures that put patients at risk of infection
- Multiple admissions
- Antibiotic courses
- Intensive care
Attributes of community acquired infection
- Have to be capable of spreading between healthy people
- Capable of spreading prior to symptom onset
Examples of community acquired infections
- Tuberculosis
- Chicken pox (VZV)
- Influenza A
- Food poisoning (Salmonella, Campylobacter)
Examples of hospital acquired infections
- Catheter related UTI
- Ventilator associated pneumonia
- Clostridium difficile
- IV catheter associated bloodstream infection
Definition of a Healt Care associated Infection
- An infection that occurs more than 48 hours after admission to hospital (longer if long incubation)
- An infection that occurs within 10 days of discharge from hospital (30 days for surgical wound)
- An infection that occurs with 72 hours of an outpatient procedure
Common HCAI infection
Pneumonia
UTI
Surgical site infection
Clinical spesis
GI
Antibiotics for Sensitive and Resistant Staph aureus
Antibiotics for Sensitive and Resistant Staph Enteroccus
Treating E.coli
How to stop a chain of infections
Remove source
Prevent transmission
Reduce patient susceptibility
Identify carriage
Characteristics of Group A strep
Beta haemolysis
Gram positive cocci in chains Lancefield group A Streptococcus pyogenes
Characteristics of S. aureus
Gram positive cocci in clusters
Coagulase positive
Staphylococcus aureus
Considerations in prescribing for asymptomatic bacteruria
Common reason for unnecessary antibiotic prescription
- Don’t send urine for culture if no clinical suspicion of UTI
Pregnant women are an exception
- High risk of pyelonephritis
- Threat to the baby
- Single course antibiotics if confirmed high bacterial count in urine
Catheter urines are nearly always dipstick positive!
Elderly have higher levels of bacteria than healthy young people, but may not be current relevant infection
Carbapenemase producing Enterobacteriaceae likely to be the next big problem
Currently screening anyone with recent hospital stay overseas for CPE
Process for exterminating MRSA
