Outbreak - infection control

Question 1

What is a Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI)?

Answer 1

An infection you might catch when getting healthcare in hospitals, care homes, doctors’ surgeries, health centres or receiving care at home

Question 2

What are the most common types of infection in hospitals?

Answer 2

Urine infections
Infections after surgery
Skin infections
Sickness and diarrhoea

Question 3

After how long in hospital might a patient acquire a HAI?

Answer 3

> 48 hours

Question 4

What is the most common HAI?

Answer 4

UTI

Question 5

What is an outbreak of infection defined as?

Answer 5

2 or more cases of an infection linked in time and place

Question 6

What is the 1st purpose of IPCT?

Answer 6

Prevent individual infections and outbreaks

Question 7

What is the purpose of surveillance by the IPCT?

Answer 7

Detect and identify a possible outbreak at the earliest opportunity

Question 8

What are the 6 parts of the chain of infection?

Answer 8

Infectious agent
Reservoir
Portal of exit
Mode of transmission
Portal of entry
Susceptible host

Question 9

What are examples of infectious agents?

Answer 9

Bacteria
Virus
Fungi
Prion

Question 10

What are examples of reservoirs for infection?

Answer 10

Humans
Equipment
Environment
Food
Animals

Question 11

What are examples of portals of exit for infection?

Answer 11

Blood and body fluids
Skin scales/wound
Coughing and sneezing

Question 12

What are examples of modes of transmission for infection?

Answer 12

Direct or indirect
Inhalation
Ingestion of contaminated food

Question 13

What are examples of portals of entry for infection?

Answer 13

Skin/surgical wounds
Eyes or mouth
Respiratory tract
Intestinal tract
Tubes e.g. catheter, cannulas

Question 14

What are examples of susceptible hosts for infection?

Answer 14

Underdeveloped immune system
Decreasing immune system
Drugs or diseases
Tubes

Question 15

How could you break the chain of infection at the mode of transmission stage?

Answer 15

Hand hygiene
PPE
Food safety
Cleaning, disinfection, sterilization
Isolation

Question 16

What are the 5 stages of hand hygiene?

Answer 16

Before touching a patient
Before clean/aseptic procedure
After body fluid exposure risk
After touching patient
After touching patients surroundings

Question 17

How could you break the chain of infection at the reservoir stage?

Answer 17

Cleaning, disinfection, sterilisation
Infection prevention policies
Pest control

Question 18

How could you break the chain of infection at the portal of entry stage?

Answer 18

Hand hygiene
PPE
Personal hygiene
First aid
Removal of catheters and tubes

Question 19

How could you break the chain of infection at the susceptible host stage?

Answer 19

Immunisations
Treatment of underlying disease
Patient education

Question 20

How could you break the chain of infection at the portal of exit stage?

Answer 20

Hand hygiene
PPE
Control of aerosols and splatter
Respiratory etiquette
Waste disposal

Question 21

What are the contact: transmission based precautions (TBPs)?

Answer 21

Contact - hand hygiene
Gloves
Apron
Door closed

Question 22

What are droplet: transmission based precautions (TBPs)?

Answer 22

Gloves
Aprons
Masks
Eye protection
Door closed
Hand hygiene

Question 23

How could you break the chain of infection at the infectious agent stage?

Answer 23

Diagnosis and treatment

Antimicrobial stewardship

Question 24

What are airborne: transmission based precautions (TBPs)?

Answer 24

Hand hygiene
Gloves
Aprons
Masks
Eye protection
Respirator
Door closer

Question 25

How large is a droplet particle?

Answer 25

> 5μm

Question 26

How large is an aerosol particle?

Answer 26

<5μm

Question 27

What is more widespread: an aerosol or a droplet?

Answer 27

Aerosol

Question 28

Droplet and aerosol: which remains suspended in the air and which drops to the ground?

Answer 28

Drops to the ground: droplet

Remains suspended in the air: aerosol

Question 29

Which type of infection is most transmissible: contact, droplet or airborne?

Answer 29

Airborne spread infections

Question 30

What is cleaning in relation to infection control?

Answer 30

Physical removal of organic material and decrease in microbial load

Question 31

What is disinfection in relation to infection control?

Answer 31

Large reduction in microbe numbers - spores may remain

Question 32

What is sterilisation in relation to infection control?

Answer 32

Removal/destruction of ALL microbes and spores

Question 33

What type of things get ‘cleaned’?

Answer 33

Low risk: Intact skin contact e.g. stethoscopes, cots, mattresses

Question 34

What type of things get ‘disinfected’ or sterilised as appropriate?

Answer 34

Medium risk: mucous membrane contact e.g. bedpans, vaginal specula, endoscopes

Question 35

What type of things get sterilised?

Answer 35

High risk e.g. surgical instruments

Question 36

What is important in regard to cleaning during infection control?

Answer 36

Manufacturer’s instructions
Detergent and water
Drying
Cleaning prior to disinfection and sterilisation

Question 37

What are methods of disinfection?

Answer 37

Heat e.g. pasteurisation, boiling

Chemical

Question 38

What are methods of sterilisation?

Answer 38

Steam under pressure (autoclave)
Hot air oven
Gas (ethylene dioxide)
Ionising radiation

Question 39

What types of infection control surveillance are there?

Answer 39

Local surveillance e.g. lab based, ward/clinical area based, national surveillance, all healthcare workers