Lecture 8.1 - Infection Prevention Flashcards
What is meant by the term “endemic disease”
The normal background rate of infection - i.e. the number of cases you would usually expect for the place and time of year
What is meant by the term “outbreak”
2 or more cases of an infection which can be linked by time and/or place
What is an epidemic?
When the rate of infection is greater than the normal background rate
What is a pandemic?
A very high rate of infection, where cases spread across many regions, countries and continents
What is meant by R0?
Average number of cases which one case generates in an otherwise uninfected, non-immune population
What does it mean if R0 > 1?
The number of cases will increase as each case is generating more than one further case
What does it mean if R0
The incidence is decreasing, and may mean the disease is eventually eliminated
Give 4 reasons as to why you might get an outbreak, epidemic or pandemic?
New pathogen
New people
New place
New practice
What is the primary factor in determining transmissibility?
Infectious dose - i.e. the number of microorganisms needed to produce an infection
Give an example of an infection with a high infectious dose
Salmonella
Give an example of an infection with a low infectious dose
Norovirus
Give some examples of pathogen interventions which may prevent infections
Disinfectants
Prophylactic antibiotics
Sterilisation of equipment
Give some examples of patient interventions in infection prevention
Vaccination
Optimising health in terms of nutrition and control of chronic conditions
Give some examples of practice interventions in infection prevention
Mosquito nets/sprays/clothing
Condom use
Food hygiene
Hand washing
Briefly outline possible downsides of infection prevention
- Decreased exposure means population has less natural immunity, increasing risk of an outbreak
- Infection may be more serious if it occurs later on in life, e.g. shingles vs chickenpox
