Outbreak! Flashcards
What is a Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI)?
It is an infection you might catch when getting healthcare in hospitals, care homes, doctors’ surgeries, health centres or receiving care at home
The most common types of infection in hospitals are urine infections, infections after surgery (operations), skin infections, sickness and diarrhoea
Hospital acquired infection:
- Generally an infection acquired after being in hospital for more than __ hours
- For some organisms this will vary depending on the ________ period of the organism
- All infections are __________ - somehow…..
48
incubation
transmissible
Proportion of HAIs due to different infections such as what?
- UTI (22.6% of all HAI) – mainly related to catheterisation
- Surgical Site Infection (18.6%)
- Respiratory Tract Infection (17.5%) – intubation accounted for about a quarter of these
- Bloodstream infections (10.8%) – many Central Venous (CVC) Catheter related
- Gastrointestinal infection (6.8% versus 15.4%)
- Skin and soft tissue infection (4.0%)
what is an outbreak?
An outbreak of an infection is defined as 2 or more cases of a infection linked in time and place
- N.B.
- 1st Purpose of IPCT is to PREVENT individual infections AND outbreaks!!
- Purpose of surveillance is to DETECT and IDENTIFY a possible outbreak at the earliest opportunity
what is involved in the chain of an infection?
what are examples of infectious agents?
- Bacteria
- Virus
- Fungi
- Prion
what are examples of reserviors?
- Humans
- Equipment
- Environment
- Food
- Animals
what are examples of portals of exits?
- Blood and body fluids
- Skin scales/wound
- Coughing and sneezing
what are examples of different modes of transmission?
direct or indirect
inhalation
ingesitong of contaminated food
what are examples of different portals of entry?
skin/surgical wounds
eyes or mouth
respiratory tract
intesitnal tract
tubes
what are examples of Susceptible hosts?
- Underdeveloped immune system
- Decreasing immune system
- Drugs or diseases
- Tubes
what are different ways to break the chain of infection?
how do you break the chain in regards to the mode of transmission?
what are the 5 moments of hand hygine?
how do you break the chain in regards to the reservoir?
how do you break the chain in regards to the portal of entry?
how do you break the chain in regards to the susceptible host?
how do you break the chain in regards to the portal of exit?
What are some Transmission based precautions (TBPs) in regards to contact precautions?
- Contact
- Gloves
- Apron
Transmission based precautions (TBPs) in regards to droplet precautions?
- Droplet
- Gloves
- Aprons
- Masks
- Eye protection
how do you breka the chain in regards to the infectious agent?
Transmission based precautions (TBPs) in regards to airborne precautions?
- Droplet
- Gloves
- Aprons
- Masks
- Eye protection
What’s a droplet
- >5µm
- Spread assumed to be about 1m
- Drop to ground
What’s an aerosol
- <5µm
- Much more widespread
- Remain suspended in the air
Why does this matter???
Airborne spread infections are more highly transmissible and therefore require different precautions
40µm is limit of visibility to human eye
what is cleaning
• Physical removal of organic material and decrease in microbial load
what is disinfection?
• Large reduction in microbe numbers - spores may remain
what is sterilisation?
• Removal/Destruction of ALL microbes and spores
What is classed as low risk and what needs to be done about it?
Intact skin contact e.g. stethoscopes, cots, Mattresses
Cleaning compatible with manufacturer’s instructions
What is classed as medium risk and what needs to be done about it?
Mucous membrane contact e.g. bedpans, vaginal specula, Endoscopes
Disinfection or sterilisation as appropriate
What is classed as high risk and what needs to be done about it?
e.g. surgical instruments
Sterilisation
how is cleaning done?
- Manufacturer’s instructions
- Detergent and water
- DRYING IS AN IMORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS!
- Cleaning essential PRIOR to disinfection and Sterilisation if these are required
what are different methods of disinfection?
Heat:
- Pasteurisation (e.g. bedpans, linen, dishwashers)
- Boiling (vaginal specula, ear syringes)
Chemical:
- Chemicals vary in their organism activity range
- Needs to be equipment compatible
- Examples: Alcohol, chlorhexidine, hypochlorites, hydrogen peroxide
what are methods of sterilisation?
- Steam under pressure (autoclave)
- Hot Air Oven
- Gas (ethylene dioxide)
- Ionising Radiation
what are different mehtods of surveillance?
• Local Surveillance:
- Laboratory Based
- Ward/Clinical Area Based
- National Surveillance
- All healthcare workers!
