Lecture 2: Infection Control & Medical Asepsis Flashcards
Normal Flora
This is my home. I don’t usually cause trouble HERE, I often have weapons to protect my home, and the other residents keep me under control if I might get hostile
Pathogen
infectious agent (either virus or bacteria) -overwhelms infected host's defences causing illness
Nosocomial infections
HAIs health care associated infections
- Normal flora go where they shouldn’t
- Normal balance is compromised
- Pathogens from elsewhere are introduced (MRSA, VRE)
A-sepsis
without or freedom from disease causing microorganisms
A-septic technique
decreasing the chance of transferring microorganisms from one place to another
what are the a-septic techniques
-Clean technique (trying not to touch things)
-Medical asepsis- Clean technique
-Surgical asepsis – Sterile technique
(washing hands, gloves, sanitizer, ppe)
Colonization
Strain of microorganism becomes resident flora
- Grow and multiply but do not create illness
- Infection can occur when the organism succeeds in overcoming the hosts defense mechanism
Asymptomatic/subclinical infections
- No clinical evidence of disease
- Localized cell damage/infection
local infection
- Limited to a specific part of the body
- Generally easier to treat
Systemic infection
-Infection has spread from the site of origin and affects more systems
Bactermia
bacteria in the blood
Septicemia
Bacteremia results in systemic symptoms
explain the pathology of infection
1)Infection enters host
2)Moves to preferred target site
3)Overcomes host defences
due to:
-highly virulent microbe
-High microbial load
-Defenses are weakened
what components are involved with chain of infection
infectious agent susceptible host portal of entry mode of transmission portal of exit reservoir
what strategies are used to break the chain of infection for health care associated infections?
1) routine practices/ precautions
2) isolation precautions
chain of infection :
Etiological Agent
- what factors are associated
- Number (load, dose) – must be high
- Virulence
- Pathogenicity
- Ability to enter
- Susceptibility of host
- Ability to live and grow in host
etiological agents include..?
virus
bacteria
how do we protect ourselves from etiological agents
- Correctly cleaning, disinfecting, or sterilizing articles
- Educating clients and support persons
define: reservoir
The source, where microbe hangs out, causing illness or not
reservoir examples
- Other people (most common)
- Animals
- Self
- Plants
- Food
- Contaminated objects
reservoir: Respiratory tract
- what is the portal of exit?
Nose or mouth through sneezing, coughing, breathing or talking, endotracheal tubes or tracheostomies
reservoir: GI tract
- what is the portal of exit?
Mouth- saliva, vomiting
Anus- feces
Ostomies, drainage tubes
reservoir: reproductive tract
- what is the portal of exit?
Vaginal – vaginal discharge
Urinary meatus- semen, urine
Urethral discharge, contaminated urine
reservoir: blood
- what is the portal of exit?
Open wound, needle puncture, any disruption intact skin or mucous membrane surfaces