Module 1: Infection Control

Question 1

What are your body’s natural defenses against an infection?

Answer 1

• Normal flora
• Body system defenses
• Inflammation

Question 2

What are the steps in the chain of infection?

Answer 2

• Infectious agent
• reservoir
• Portal of exit
• Mode of transmission
• Portal of entry
• host

Question 3

What is the reservoir in the chain of infection?

Answer 3

The place where a pathogen can survive and may or may not multiply
In order to thrive they need food, oxygen, water, warm environment, pH 5-8 and minimal light

Question 4

Hepatitis B is found in which major reservoirs?

Answer 4

Blood and body fluids

Question 5

What is a portal of exit? Give 3 examples

Answer 5

The path which the pathogen leaves reservoir

Ex. Body openings, breaks in the skin, breaks in mucous membranes

Question 6

What are some ways that microorganism can be transmitted from the reservoir to the host?

Answer 6

➢ Contact (direct or indirect) 
➢ Droplet
➢ Airborne
➢ Vehicle
➢ Vectorborne

Question 7

What are the steps for doffing When leaving a patient’s room in isolation?

Answer 7

1) Gloves
2) Hand hygiene
3) Gown
4) Hand hygiene
5) Eye protection or face shields
6) mask or N95 respirator

Question 8

What are the steps in donning your PPE for patients in isolation

Answer 8

1) Hand hygiene
2) Gown
3) Procedure/surgical mask
4) N95 respirator
5) Eye protection or face shields
6) Gloves

Question 9

What is the definition of communicable?

Answer 9

If an infection can be transmitted from one person to another

Question 10

Define Virulence

Answer 10

The severity or harmfulness of a disease or poison

Question 11

The potential for microorganisms to cause disease depends on four factors, what are they?

Answer 11

1. A sufficient number of organisms
2. Virulence, or ability to produce disease
3. The ability to enter and survive in the host
4. The susceptibility of the host

Question 12

Describe surgical asepsis/sterile technique ?

Answer 12

•Purpose to eliminate all microorganisms from an object/area

- Governed by principles that help maintain sterility

Question 13

What is vehicle transmission?

Answer 13

A single contaminated source (e.g. water, drugs, IV fluid, food, equipment) transmits infection to multiple hosts, possibly resulting in an outbreak

Question 14

What is vectorborne transmission?

Answer 14

Insects or pests transmit microbes to humans

Question 15

The severity of the patient’s illness depends on? (3)

Answer 15

• Extent of infection
• ability of the microorganism to cause disease (pathogenicity)
• susceptibility of the host

Question 16

What is the purpose of medical asepsis/clean technique?

Answer 16

•Purpose to reduce and prevent the spread of microorganisms

Question 17

What does asepsis mean?

Answer 17

•The absence of pathogenic (disease producing) microorganisms

Question 19

What is colonization?

Answer 19

Occurs when the pathogen invades but does not cause harm

Question 20

What is the portal of entry?

Answer 20

Pathogen’s are able to enter the body through the same route as they used to exit, factors that reduce the body’s defences enhance the chances of pathogen’s to enter the body

Question 21

Define host in the chain of infection

Answer 21

Depends on the susceptibility which is the resistance to a pathogen

Question 21

Describe the infectious agents in the chain of infection

Answer 21

The potential for microorganisms to cause disease depends on:
Number, virulence, ability to enter and survive in the host, susceptibility

Question 22

Describe medical asepsis

Answer 22

• clean technique
• Absence of most but not all microorganisms
• Procedures used to decrease and prevent the spread of microorganisms

Question 23

Steps in donning caps, masks, and eyewear

Answer 23

For sterile surgical procedures:

• Apply cap
• surgical mask
• Eyewear