Outbreak Flashcards
- Understand the difference between ‘colonisation’ and ‘infection’ and list the microbial and host factors leading to an increased risk of infection.
- List the main modes of transmission of microbes and which microbes are largely transmitted by which route.
- Describe the ‘chain of infection’ and list ways of breaking it.
- Define what is meant by ‘cleaning’, ‘disinfection’ and ‘sterilisation’ and give examples of how these are achieved.
- Describe how to identify and control an outbreak.
.Be able to define Healthcare associated infection vs Community acquired infection
Understand the principles underpinning the chain of infection
Understand the importance of Infection Prevention and Control in breaking the chain of infection
Describe transmission based precautions (TBPs)
Contact precautions
Droplet precautions
Airborne precautions
Introduction to the principles of sterilisation and decontamination
Healthcare associated infection (HAI) =
infection you might catch when getting healthcare in hospitals, care homes, doctors’ surgeries, health centres or receiving care at home.
commonest in hospitals are UTIs, post-surgical infections, diarrhoea
Hospital acquired infection =
infection you might catch when getting healthcare in hospitals, care homes, doctors’ surgeries, health centres or receiving care at home.
Define an outbreak
2 or more cases of a infection linked in time and place
1st purpose of integrated primary care teams (IPCTs)
PREVENT individual infections AND outbreaks
6 parts of the chain of infection
Susceptible host
Infectious agent, e.g. bacteria, virus, fungi, prion –>
Reservoir –>
Portal of exit –>
Mode of transmission –>
Portal of entry –> back to susceptible host
List some reservoirs of infection (5)
Humans Equipment Environment, e.g. water Food Animals
List some portal of exits that infection can spread
Blood and body fluids
Broken skin/wound
Coughing/ sneezing (AIRBORNE)
List the main modes of transmission of microbes and which microbes are largely transmitted by which route
Contact (direct or indirect)
Inhalation
Ingestion
List some portal of entry of infectious agents
Skin wounds Eyes or mouth Resp tract GI tract Tubes, i.e. arterial lines, NF tubes, catheters
Factors that make you a susceptible host
Underdeveloped immune system
Immunosuppressed
Drugs or diseases that immunosuppress
Tubes
Ways of breaking the chain of infection
-how to break the chain at the INFECTIOUS AGENT stage (!)
Diagnose and treat promptly
Ways of breaking the chain of infection
-how to break the chain at the RESERVOIR stage (3)
Cleaning/disinfecting/sterilising
Infection control procedures
Pest control
Ways of breaking the chain of infection
-how to break the chain at the PORTAL OF EXIT stage (4)
Hand hygiene
Personal protective equipment
Control of splatter of body fluids
Waste disposal
Ways of breaking the chain of infection
-how to break the chain at the MODE OF TRANSMISSION stage (5)
Hand hygiene Personal protective equipment Food safety Cleaning/disinfecting/sterilising Isolate the infected person
Ways of breaking the chain of infection
-how to break the chain at the PORTAL OF ENTRY stage (4)
Hand hygiene
Personal protective equipment
Personal hygiene
Remove catheters/tubes if not necessary anymore
Ways of breaking the chain of infection
-how to break the chain at the SUSCEPTIBLE HOST stage (3)
Immunise
Treat underlying disease
Patient education
5 moments of hand hygiene
Before touching patient Before aseptic procedure After body fluid exposure After touching patient After touching patient surroundings
• Understand the difference between ‘colonisation’ and ‘infection’ and list the microbial and host factors leading to an increased risk of infection.
.
CONTACT precautions when going near an isolated patient (4 principles)
Hand hygiene before entry
PPE - apron, gloves
Close door after entry
Prior to leaving room
-decontaminate equipment prior to removal from room,
-discard gloves and apron in appropriate bin,
-hand hygiene
DROPLET precautions when going near an isolated patient (4 principles)
Hand hygiene before entering
PPE - apron, gloves, mask, eye protection
Keep door closed
Prior to leaving
-decontaminate equipment before removing from room
-discard PPE appropriately
-hand hygiene
AIRBORNE precautions when going near an isolated patient (5 principles)
Hand hygiene before entering
PPE - apron, gloves, respirator mask, eye protection
Keep door closed
Prior to leaving
- decontaminate equipment before removing from room
- discard PPE appropriately
- hand hygiene
After leaving
- remove respirator + discard appropriately
- hand hygiene
Difference between droplet and aerosol
Droplet >5µm - spread about 1m
Aerosol <5µm - more widespread
Define what is meant by ‘cleaning’, ‘disinfection’ and ‘sterilisation’
Cleaning
-Physical removal of organic material and decrease in microbial load
Disinfection
-Large reduction in microbe numbers - spores may remain
Sterilisation
-Removal/Destruction of ALL microbes and spores
Examples of ‘cleaning’ in medical practice
For low risk of infection:
Intact skin contact e.g.
stethoscopes, cots
Examples of ‘disinfection’ in medical practice
For medium risk of infection:
Mucous membrane
contact e.g. bedpans,
vaginal specula
Examples of ‘sterilisation’ in medical practice
For high risk of infection - e.g. surgical instruments
Methods of disinfection
Heat - e.g. pasteurising
Chemical - e.g. alcohol, chloerhexidine
Methods of sterilisation
Steam under pressure (Autoclave)
Hot air oven
Gas (Ethylene dioxide)
Ionising radiation
