lecture 7 Flashcards
Endemic
disease or health risk regularly found in a particular population or area. The baseline amount– has a predictable rate & spread
malaria
chickenpox
Outbreak
Sudden increase in #’s of a disease or health risk. More than would normally be expected in a
defined community, geography or season. Or a single case of a disease in an area where it never occurred before. If outbreak is not contained it becomes an epidemic
listeria
Epidemic:
The continued active spread of new cases of the outbreak disease. Levels far exceed what is normal for a community, population, or region. Is an outbreak that is out of control - if not contained becomes a pandemic
measles
obesity
opioid
Pandemic:
An epidemic that has spread over multiple countries or continents. #’s rise sharply each day - disease affects several countries and populations. An out of control epidemic
NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION (NI
-acquired within hospitals or other healthcare facilities; after >48 hours in the hospital
Iatrogenic infections: Infections that result from diagnostic or therapeutic procedures
sources - staff/patient with colonized orgs
-catheters or ventilators
-reuses of improperly cleaned surgical equipment /beds
-overcrowding of wards
-staff turn over- improper training
-antibiotic misuse
ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT ORGANISMS (AROs)
-Resistance of a microorganism to several classes of antibiotics
-Consequence of, misuse of antimicrobial medicines. Develops when a microorganism mutates or acquires a resistance gene
-Clinical & Epidemiological concern because standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist, may spread to others
INFECTION CONTROL
- sub-discipline of epidemiology preventing healthcare-associated infection (HAI) & it’s spread in a hospital or medical facility
-Infection Control Practitioner (ICP) -RN or MLT
Prevention:
Standard Precautions & Transmission Based Precautions
Surveillance:
Keep track of HAI from specific wards with high- risk patients, medical device use, screen for AROs
Monitoring/Managing Outbreak:
Gather data from lab tests & microbiology reports, isolate patients, find the source of the infection, screen patients, ensure device sterility. Control by limiting patients or isolation
Education: Review proper hand washing, use of PPE or medical equipment & Ensure informative posters and signs available
Data Gathering - provide culture results and contamination rates
Report significant cases (communicable diseases) in and around the hospital community
Perform/report ARO screening results
Help investigate outbreaks by reporting the # of cases of a bacterial infection occurring in a specific time period in a given patient population
Also work up and report results from specimens taken to find mode of transmission or reservoir/carriers
Susceptibility reporting of ARO or unusual antibiotic resistance patterns - led by antibiotic pressures to limit use of antibiotics and prevent resistance
INFECTION & DISEASE
Infection: invasion & multiplication of a microorganism on/in a host only. Doesn’t mean person gets active disease, immune response may overcome organism.
Disease: The dysfunction of the body’s systems, or organs which result in specific symptoms -can be from an external or internal source
Can be communicable – contagious organism. Or non-communicable – heart disease, diabetes, cancer
Infectious Disease: Disease caused from the invasion & activity of a microorganism in/on a host that is not eliminated by the immune system –cause damage & symptoms
Can be a non-communicable disease caused by an organism- UTI. Or communicable like TB, Gonorrhea, or HIV
4 PHASES OF INFECTOUS DISEASE
Incubation Period: Time between “contact” or “exposure” with the microorganism and the appearance of symptoms
Prodromal Period: The period of days immediately before the appearance of specific symptoms
Generally, feel unwell (malaise), headache, muscle ache, fatigue. “I’m coming down with something”
Acute Period: Organisms are actively reproducing, & host experiences specific symptoms due to organ damage & immune response
Convalescent Period: Symptoms begin to subside- immune response has overcome the organisms – host feels better.
Subclinical infection
Infection that causes asymptomatic or very mild symptoms - the patient does not seek treatment because they don’t know they are infected – but they are still infectious
Latent infection
-After an acute or sub-clinical infection some organisms can remain dormant within host cell. Asymp carriers -Typhoid mary , the clap
-While dormant no symptoms & non- infectious – but can spontaneously & periodically re-activate to cause symptoms & are infectious while active
-Cold sore and genital herpes infections
-Tuberculosis, HIV (while latent) AIDs (when active)
Organism is not dividing but can be activated
Localized Infection
Systemic Infection
Localized Infection
An infection that is limited to a specific part of the body. ear infection
Systemic Infection
Infection in which the pathogen is distributed throughout the body rather than concentrated in one area. Many organs tissues - blood infection
Morbidity
Mortality
Morbidity: describe anything that causes ill health
Can be due to having a specific illness or condition or from having negative consequences from a medical procedure
It also refers to the amount of disease within a population.
use does not imply risk of death
Mortality
The number of deaths due to an illness
Usually expressed as a death rate : total deaths/population
LINKS IN THE CHAIN OF INFECTION
causative agent- BREAK THE LINK - prompt treatment, decontamination, rapid identification of organism
reservoir
portal of exit
mode of transmission
portal of entry
susceptible host
Reservoir:
Portal of Exit:
Reservoir: place of origin of the infectious organism – where it multiplies and lives
-Humans, animals, insects, inanimate objects, environment- plants, soil, water
BREAK THE LINK: sanitation, health and hygienic practices
Portal of Exit: path the organism uses to get out of the host
-place where it causes disease
Examples of portals of exit are blood, the respiratory, genitourinary, gastrointestinal tracts
BREAK THE LINK - PPE, proper disposal - occurs through wound care