Promoting Asepsis and Infection Control - Nursing Fun Ch 20 Flashcards
What are the links in chain of infection?
Infectious Agent Reservoir Portal of exit Mode of transmission Portal of entry Susceptible host
What are possible infectious agents?
pathogens
bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and
prions
normal flora
may become pathogenic when entered into the
body
What is a reservoir?
a source of infection where infection can survive and multiply
Name some types of reservoirs.
Living
Humans, insects, animals
Nonliving
Soil, water, food, and environmental surfaces
What is a carrier?
An individual who has no symptoms despite carrying a disease which they can pass to others.
What are some portals of exit?
body fluids
blood, saliva, breast milk, urine, feces,
vomitus, semen or other
secretions
Cuts
Bites
Abrasions
Nosocomial sites
puncture sites, drainage tubes, feeding tubes,
IV lines, colostomy lines, catheters etc.
What are the modes of transmission?
Direct contact Indirect contact with a fomite (contaminated object) droplet transmission airborne transmission a vector
What is a vector?
an organism that carries a pathogen to a susceptible host
What are examples of a portal of entry?
normal body openings
eyes, nostrils, mouth, urethra, vagina,
anus
abnormal body openings
cuts and scrapes, burns, bites by vectors
What three factors determine whether a person develops an infection?
- The virulence of the organism
- The number of organisms transmitted
- The ability of the host’s defenses to prevent infection
An infection that is limited to a specific region is called a _______.
Local infection
An infection that invades the blood or lymph and travels throughout the body is called a ________
Systemic infection
A primary infection is the
first infection that occurs in a patient
A secondary infection is the
one or more infections that occur in a patient who is already fighting an infection
What are the common portals of exit?
Respiratory Gastrointestinal Genitourinary tracts Breaks in skin Blood and tissue
An exogenous nosocomial infection is
where the pathogen is acquired from the healthcare environment
An endogenous nosocomial infection is
where the pathogen arises from the patients normal flora and some form of treatment
What is an acute infection
a rapid onset but short lasting infection
What is a chronic infection
infections that develop slowly and last for weeks, months or years
What is a latent infection
an infection that causes no symptoms for long periods of time (HPV, HIV)
What are the stages of infection?
Incubation Prodromal stage Illness Decline Convalescence
Describe the incubation stage
The stage between successful invasion and the appearance of symptomsMay be infectious
Describe the prodromal stage
characterized by the first appearance of vague symptomsstage not always present
Describe the illness stage
marked by the appearance of signs and symptoms characteristic of the diseaseMay result in death