T2 - Chapter 22 Infection Prevention and Control Flashcards
airborne precautions
measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted from an infected person by pathogens propelled through the air on particles smaller than 5 µm in size to a susceptible person’s eyes, nose, or mouth
antimicrobial
able to destroy or suppress the growth of pathogens and other micro-organisms
antiseptic
a substance that reduces the number of pathogens present on a surface
asepsis
methods used to assure that an environment is as pathogen-free as possible
aseptic
as pathogen free as possible
bacteriostasis
the inhibition of further bacterial growth
contact precautions
measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted by the physical transfer of pathogens to a susceptible host’s body surface
contamination
the process of becoming unsterile or unclean
disinfectant
any chemical agent used to destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful organisms
droplet precautions
measures taken to prevent the spread of diseases transmitted from an infected person by pathogens propelled through the air on particles larger than 5 µm in size to a susceptible person’s eyes, nose, or mouth
endemic
prevalent in or characteristic of a particular environment
endogenous
produced within an organism or system rather than externally caused
epidemic
extremely prevalent or widespread
exogenous
externally caused rather than produced within an organism or system
hyperendemic
at an especially high level of continued incidence in a population
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
a strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to the antibacterial action of the antibiotic methicillin, a form of penicillin
retrovirus
any of a large group of RNA-based viruses that tend to infect immunocompromised individuals, including the human immunodeficiency virus and many cancer-causing viruses
vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)
a strain of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus that has become resistant to the antibacterial action of the antibiotic vancomycin
nosocomial infection
hospital acquired infection
what are the 6 links in the chain of infection?
infectious agent reservoir portal of exit mode of transmission portal of entry susceptible host
normal flora
microorganisms that are beneficial or essential to human health
transient flora
normal microbes you acquire by coming into contact with objects or people
resident flora
permanent inhabitants of skin and cant be removed with routine hygiene
pathogens
microorganisms capable of causing disease
virulence
power to cause disease
reservoir
place where pathogens survive and multiply
what is the difference between a local and systemic infection?
local: cause harm in a limited region
systemic: occur when pathogens invade blood or lymph and spread throughout the body
what is bacteremia?
clinical presence of bacteria in the blood
what is septicemia?
systemic infection spread through the blood
exogenous
pathogen is acquired from the patients environment
endogenous
pathogen arises from the patients normal flora
what are the stages of an infection?
incubation prodrome illness decline convalescence
epidemic
outbreak of disease that suddenly affects a large group of people in a geographic region
pandemic
exceptionally widespread - may affect an entire country or the world
what are the body’s primary defenses against infection?
normal flora skin respiratory tree eyes mouth GI tract anus
what are the body’s secondary defenses?
phagocytosis
complement cascade
inflammation
fever
what are the body’s tertiary defenses?
active immunity
specific immunity
lymphocytes
natural active immunity
your body produces its own antibodies to fight an infection
natural passive immunity
when antibodies are passed from one person to another
artificial active immunity
immune response occurs when body is exposed to weakened or dead pathogens in a vaccine
artificial passive immunity
protection from infection when person receives serum of antibodies produced from another person
ex: rabies
cleaning
removal of visible soil from surfaces
disinfecting
use of chemicals to remove pathogens
sterilization
elimination of all microorganisms
