Risk of Infectious and Communicable Diseases Flashcards
Exam 2
Infectious Disease:
What is it?
Presence and replication of an infectious agent in the tissues of a host, with manifestation of signs and symptoms
Infectious Disease:
Pathogenicity
Pathogenicity— the ability of the agent to produce an infectious disease in a susceptible host.
Virulence
This is a quantitative trait, representing the extent of the pathology caused by a microorganism.
Virulence - What does it express?
Therefore, virulence is a trait expressing the interaction between a pathogen and its host.
Epidemiology of the Infectious Process: The Chain of Infection
Epidemiologic triad
Agent
Host
Environment
Epidemiology of the Infectious Process: The Chain of Infection
The epidemiology of the infectious disease process adds other elements to the epidemiological triad:
The epidemiology of the infectious disease process adds other elements to the epidemiological triad:
a portal of exit for the infectious agent,
a means of transmission,
and a portal of entry to a new host.
Chain of Infection includes:
Infectious agents
Reserviors
Portal of exit
Means of transmission
Portal of entry
Susceptible host
Carrier
A person or animal who harbors an infectious organism and transmits the organism to others while having no symptoms of the disease
Colonization
The presence and multiplication of infectious organisms without invading or causing damage to tissue
Incubation Period
Time period between initial contact with the infectious agent and the appearance of the first signs or symptoms of the disease
Is the following statement True or False?
An infectious disease is not contagious or communicable.
False
Rationale: An infectious disease may or may not be contagious or communicable.
Environment/Reservoirs
Humans
Animals
Plants
Insects
Water
Soil
Mechanisms of Transmission
Direct contact
Indirect contact
Droplets
Airborne transmission
Outbreak Investigation:
What must be established?
Establishing the existence of an outbreak
Outbreak Investigation:
How must cases be described?
Describing cases by person, place, time
Outbreak Investigation:
Common source outbreak—
an outbreak characterized by exposure to a common, harmful substance
Outbreak Investigation:
Propagated outbreak—
Propagated outbreak—outbreak resulting from direct or indirect transmission of an infectious agent from an infected person to a susceptible host; secondary infections can occur
Outbreak Investigation:
Propagated outbreak—What else can occur with this?
secondary infections can occur
Types of Outbreaks include:
Endemic
Epidemic
Pandemic
Types of Outbreaks include:
Endemic
the constant or usual prevalence of a specific disease or infectious agent within a population or geographic area
Types of Outbreaks include:
Epidemic—
significant increase in the number of new cases of a disease than past experience would have predicted for that place, time, or population
Types of Outbreaks include:
Pandemic
Pandemic - an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people
Public Health Surveillance
Surveillance—
a continual dynamic method for gathering data about the health of the general public for the purpose of primary prevention of illness
Public Health Surveillance:
What does the CDC do?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a major agency that protects the nation’s health by developing guidelines that promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability.
Public Health Surveillance:
What does the CDC have to do with surveillance?
The CDC maintains surveillance systems to analyze data for infectious disease trends and outbreaks.
Specific Communicable Diseases:
Foodborne diseases
include:
Noroviruses
Campylobacter enteritis
Listeria monocytogenes
Nontyphoid Salmonella
Escherichia coli O157:H7
Coronavirus: What is it caused by?
COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus
Coronavirus: How does COVID-19 spread?
COVID-19 spreads when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus.Droplets and particles can be breathed in by other peopleorland on their eyes, noses, or mouth. People who are closer than 6 feet from the infected person are most likely to get infected
Coronavirus: What can protect people from this?
Authorized vaccines can protect from COVID-19
Coronavirus: What should people not vaccinated do to protect themselves from the virus?
Those not fully vaccinated should wear a mask and stay 6 feet away from others.
Coronavirus:
The US department of health developed what to improve coordination among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and Department of Defense (DoD)?
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established a SARS-CoV-2 Interagency Group (SIG) to improve coordination among the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and Department of Defense (DoD).
Coronavirus:
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) established a SARS-CoV-2 Interagency Group (SIG)- What is it focused on?
This interagency group is focused on the rapid characterization of emerging variantsand actively monitors their potential impact on critical SARS-CoV-2 countermeasures, including vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
COVID-19
Mutation: What is it and how often does it occur?
Refers to a single change in a virus’s genome (genetic code).
Mutations happen very frequently, but only sometimes change the characteristics of the virus.
COVID-19
Lineage: What is it?
Lineage is a group of closely related viruses with a common ancestor. SARS-CoV-2 has many lineages; all cause COVID-19.
COVID-19
Variant: What is it?
Variant is a viral genome (genetic code) that may contain one or more mutations.
In some cases, a group of variants with similar genetic changes, such as a lineage or group of lineages, may be designated by public health organizations as aVariant of Concernor aVariant of Interestdue to shared attributes and characteristics that may require public health action. (www.CDC.gov/coronavirus)
Waterborne Diseases:
How many people use a drinking water source contaminated with feces?
Globally, at least 2 billion people use a drinking water source contaminated with feces.
Waterborne Diseases:
Contaminated water is estimated to account for how. many diarrheal deaths a year?
Contaminated water can transmit diseases such as:
Contaminated water can transmit diseases such diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio.
Contaminated drinking water is estimated to cause 485 000 diarrheal deaths each year.
Waterborne Diseases:
By 2025, what will happen?
By 2025, half of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed areas.
Waterborne Diseases
How many places with no water service, no sanitation service, no waste management service in least developed countries?
In least developed countries, 22% of health care facilities have no water service, 21% no sanitation service, and 22% no waste management service. (www.who.org)
Risk of Infectious and Communicable Diseases
What is cholera?
Cholera, a gastrointestinal infection caused by toxigenic bacterium, Vibrio cholerae serogroup O1 or O139, can cause acute, severe, watery diarrhea, dehydration, and death.
Risk of Infectious and Communicable Diseases
Causes of cholera?
Known risk factors for cholera outbreaks include lack of access to safe drinking water, contaminated food, inadequate sanitation, and large numbers of refugees or internally displaced persons.
Sexually Transmitted Infections:
What country has the highest rate of STIs in the industrialized world?
Despite progress made in the prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the United States has the highest rates of STIs in the industrialized world.
Sexually Transmitted Infections:
Any person is in a high-risk group for STIs if they
Do not use a condom during sex
Have multiple sexual partners
Have other STIs
Have a sexual partner who has had an STI
Sexually Transmitted Infections
What is the most common STI in the US?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common STI in the United States.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
How is HPV spread? How is the infected person sometimes?
HPV commonly spread through sexual contact with an infected person through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
The infected person may have no signs or symptoms.
Sexually Transmitted Infections
What happens when HPV doesn’t go away?
When HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer.
What protects against HPV?
HPV vaccine provides safe, effective, and lasting protection against the HPV infections. (www.cdc.org)
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Gonorrhea
Chlamydia
Syphilis
Human immunodeficiency virus
Herpes simplex virus
Hepatitis B virus
STI Prevention:
What is used to measure STI incidence?
Surveillance systems to measure STI incidence
Public and private sector clinical services
Public education programs
Health Care–Associated Infections
What can infections be associated with?
Healthcare providers utilize different types of invasive devices and procedures to treat patients. Infections can be associated with the devices used, such as catheters or ventilators.
Health Care–Associated Infections
Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are a threat to patient safety. The CDC monitors surveillance, outbreaks, laboratory research, and prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Public health action by the CDC and other healthcare partners has led to improvements in clinical practice, medical procedures, and the ongoing development of evidence-based infection control guidance and prevention successes.
Health Care–Associated Infections
What is the first line of defense?
Nurses represent the first line of prevention and defense for HAIs.
