UNIT V - 16

Question 1

infection

Answer 1

An infection is the entry of an infectious agent, a microorganism (organism only visible with a microscope), into the body that multiplies and disrupts tissue integrity.

an infectious agent VS a microorganism
1 enter
2 multiply
3 disrupt tissue integrity

Question 2

microorganism

Answer 2

organism only visible with a microscope

Question 3

kən-ˌta-mə-ˈnā-shən
cross-contamination

Answer 3

Careful hand hygiene is essential to prevent cross-contamination.

Question 4

pathogens

Answer 4

Microorganisms capable of causing disease are called pathogens.

Question 5

ˈflȯr-ə
normal flora

Answer 5

Nonpathogenic/ˌnän-ˌpa-thə-ˈje-nik / organisms that are prevalent on and in the body are called normal flora.

Question 6

mə-ˈnä-pə-ˌlīz
monopolize

Answer 6

Normal flora accomplishes this by occupying receptor sites on cells, monopolizing the nutrients, and secreting substances that are toxic to other microorganisms.

transitive verb
: to get a monopoly of : assume complete possession or control of

Question 7

ˌen-dō-ˈtäk-sən
endotoxins

Answer 7

Some pathogenic microorganisms produce harmful toxins and others release endotoxins. Endotoxins are responsible for the symptoms seen in diseases such as botulism /ˈbä-chə-ˌli-zəm/, tetanus /ˈte-tə-nəs/, diphtheria /dif-ˈthir-ē-ə /, and Escherichia /ˌesh-ə-ˈrik-ē-ə/ coli infection.

Question 8

ˈpre-və-lənt
prevalent

Answer 8

Nonpathogenic organisms that are prevalent on and in the body are called normal flora.
1: generally or widely accepted, practiced, or favored : WIDESPREAD
2: being in ascendancy : DOMINANT
3:archaic : POWERFUL
prevalent noun
prevalently adverb

Question 9

bacteria
Infectious Agents –> bacteria

Answer 9

Bacteria are single-cell microorganisms lacking a nucleus that reproduce from every few minutes up to several weeks.

Question 10

aerobic /ˌer-ˈō-bik/ vs anaerobic /ˌa-nə-ˈrō-bik ˌan-ˌer-ˈō- /
Infectious Agents –> bacteria –> aerobic vs anaerobic

Answer 10

Aerobic bacteria need oxygen to grow and thrive.
Anaerobic bacteria grow only when oxygen is not present.

Question 11

Gram staining
stain a specimen –> treat the specimen with a contrasting dye –> gram-positive VS gram-negative: more dangerous –> produce an endotoxin

Answer 11

A laboratory technique called Gram staining is performed to help classify the bacteria’s outer cell surface.

Question 12

a contrasting dye /ˈdī /

Answer 12

The specimen to be tested for bacteria is placed on a slide, stained, and then treated with a contrasting dye; those retaining the stain are gram-positive, and those losing the stain and taking up the counterstain are gram-negative.
retain
1a: to keep in possession or use
b: to keep in one’s pay or service
specifically : to employ by paying a retainer
c: to keep in mind or memory : REMEMBER
2: to hold secure or intact

Question 13

ˌhe-mə-ˈra-jik
hemorrhagic shock

hem·​or·​rhage ˈhem-rij

Answer 13

Many gram-negative bacteria are more dangerous than gram-positive bacteria because they may produce an endotoxin that can cause hemorrhagic shock and severe diarrhea and can alter resistance to other bacterial infection.

Question 14

morphology /mȯr-ˈfä-lə-jē /
cocci / ˈkäk-sē /
bacilli /bə-ˈsi-ˌlī /
spirochetes /ˈspī-rə-ˌkēt/

Answer 14

Classification of bacteria according to their morphology (shape) places them into one of three main groups: cocci (round), bacilli (rod shaped), and spirochetes (spiral). Some grow in chains (streptococci /ˌstrep-tə-ˈkä-ˌkī/), some in pairs (diplococci /ˌdip-lō-ˈkäk-ˌsī /), and some in clusters (staphylococci /ˌsta-f(ə-)lō-ˈkä-ˌkī /).

Question 15

culture
specimen is transferred to a medium –>sensitivity tests–>antibiotic

Answer 15

Final identification involves chemical testing of the bacteria by performing a culture.

Question 16

ˌen-dō-ˈtäk-sən
endotoxin

Answer 16

A heat-stable toxin associated with the outer membranes of certain gram-negative bacteria that is released when the cells are disrupted.

Question 17

ˈfa-gə-ˌsīt
phagocyte

Answer 17

Cells (e.g., macrophages) capable of ingesting particulate matter.

in·​gest in-ˈjest
ingested; ingesting; ingests
transitive verb
: to take in for or as if for digestion
ingestible in-ˈje-stə-bəl adjective
ingestive in-ˈje-stiv adjective

Question 18

ˌfa-gə-sə-ˈtō-səs
phagocytosis

Answer 18

The engulfing of microorganisms and foreign particles by phagocytes.

en·​gulf in-ˈgəlf en- engulfed; engulfing; engulfs transitive verb
1: to flow over and enclose : OVERWHELM
the mounting seas threatened to engulf the island
2: to take in (food) by or as if by flowing over and enclosing
engulfment in-ˈgəlf-mənt en- noun

Question 19

/ˈek-s(y)ü-ˌdāt/
exudate

Answer 19

Fluid in or on tissue surfaces that has escaped from blood vessels in response to inflammation and that contains protein and cellular debris.

Question 20

spores
/ˈspȯr/

Answer 20

Oval bodies formed within bacteria as a resting stage during the life cycle of the cell; characterized by resistance to environmental changes (heat, humidity, or cold).

Question 21

vector
/ˈvek-tər/

Answer 21

Carrier that transports an infective agent from one host to another, such as animals, insects, and rodents.

Question 22

virulence
/ˈvir-ə-lən(t)s ˈvir-yə-/

Answer 22

Degree to which a microorganism can cause infection in the host or invade the host.
Characteristics that affect virulence are the ability to
(1) adhere to mucosal surfaces or cell walls,
(2) penetrate mucous membranes,
(3) multiply in the body,
(4) secrete harmful enzymes or toxins,
(5) resist phagocytosis (destruction by white blood cells [WBCs]), and
(6) bind with iron (essential to bacterial growth).

Question 23

Upper respiratory tract (nose, mouth, throat)

Normal Flora of the Body

Answer 23

Corynebacterium/ˌkȯr-ə-(ˌ)nē-bak-ˈtir-ē-əm / species

Enterobacter/ˈent-ə-rō-ˌbak-tər/ species

Haemophilus/hē-ˈmä-fə-ləs / species

Klebsiella/ˌkleb-zē-ˈe-lə / species

Lactobacillus/ˌlak-tō-bə-ˈsi-ləs/ species

Neisseria/nī-ˈsir-ē-ə/ species

Staphylococcus/ˌsta-f(ə-)lō-ˈkä-kəs/ species

Streptococcus/ˌstrep-tə-ˈkä-kəs/ (viridans/ˈvir-ə-ˌdanz / group)

Streptococcus pyogenes (group A)

Various types of anaerobes/ˈa-nə-ˌrōb /

Question 24

ˌpī-ə-ˈje-nik
pyogenic

Answer 24

adjective
pyo·​gen·​ic ˌpī-ə-ˈje-nik
: producing pus
pyogenic bacteria
also : marked by pus production
pyogenic meningitis

Question 25

Skin
Normal Flora of the Body

Answer 25

Acinetobacter/ˌa-sə-ˈnē-tō-ˌbak-tər / species

Corynebacterium/ˌkȯr-ə-(ˌ)nē-bak-ˈtir-ē-əm/ species

Staphylococcus aureus/ˈȯr-ē-əs/

Staphylococcus epidermidis

Yeasts

Question 26

Small bowel and colon
Normal Flora of the Body

Answer 26

Anaerobes/ˈa-nə-ˌrōb /

Bacteroides/-ˈrȯid-(ˌ)ēz / species

Clostridium/ klä-ˈstri-dē-əm/ perfringens

Enterobacter/ ˈent-ə-rō-ˌbak-tər/ species (coliforms/ˈkō-lə-ˌfȯrm /)

Streptococcus/ˌstrep-tə-ˈkä-kəs/ faecalis (enterococci or group D)

Question 27

Vagina
Normal Flora of the Body

Answer 27

Alpha-hemolytic streptococci

Enterobacteriaceae/ˌent-ə-rō-ˌbak-ˌtir-ē-ˈā-sē-ˌē/

Enterococci

Lactobacillus/ˌlak-tō-bə-ˈsi-ləs/ species

Many types of anaerobes

Staphylococcus epidermidis

Question 28

MDROs
MRSA
VRE
ESBL
C. diff

Answer 28

The four most common multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are
(1) methicillin/ˌme-thə-ˈsi-lən /-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),
(2) vancomycin/ˌvaŋ-kə-ˈmī-sᵊn/-resistant Enterococcus (VRE),
(3) extended-spectrum beta-lactamase/ˈbā-tə-ˈlak-tə-ˌmās/ (ESBL)–producing pneumonia (Klebsiella/ˌkleb-zē-ˈe-lə / pneumoniae or E. coli/ˌē-ˈkō-ˌlī /), and
(4) Clostridium/klä-ˈstri-dē-əm/ difficile/ˌdē-fi-ˈsēl / (C. diff).

Question 29

assay
/ˈa-ˌsā a-ˈsā /

Answer 29

Rapid MRSA assays can quickly identify MRSA bacterium in 1 to 5 hours by testing either a blood sample or nasal or groin swabs.

Question 30

penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae

carbapenem/ˌkär-bə-ˈpe-nəm/ -resistant Enterobacteriaceae/ˌent-ə-rō-ˌbak-ˌtir-ē-ˈā-sē-ˌē/

Answer 30

Another example of a drug-resistant organism is penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, which causes a form of pneumonia that can be difficult to treat. Another emerging threat to public health and safety is a group of resistant organisms called carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, which are highly resistant organisms and can cause infections in the urinary tract, bloodstream, wounds, and lungs (Sheu etal., 2019).

Question 31

antimicrobial
/ˌan-ti-mī-ˈkrō-bē-əl/

Answer 31

Patients must be educated about the correct use and possible misuse of antimicrobial (killing or suppressing growth of microorganisms) agents.

Question 32

mutate
/ˈmyü-ˌtāt myü-ˈtāt /

Answer 32

Incomplete treatment allows some microorganisms to live, giving them a chance to mutate and develop drug resistance.

mutation noun
mu·​ta·​tion myü-ˈtā-shən
1: a significant and basic alteration : CHANGE

Question 33

prions
/ˈprī-ˌän/
variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob/ˈkrȯits-ˌfelt-ˈyä-(ˌ)kōb- / disease

Answer 33

Prions are protein particles that lack nucleic acids and are not inactivated by usual methods for destroying bacteria or viruses. They do not trigger an immune response but cause degenerative neurologic disease such as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (a human version of mad cow disease).

Question 34

protozoa /ˌprō-tə-ˈzō-ə/
pro·​to·​zo·​on /ˌprō-tə-ˈzō-ˌän/

Answer 34

Protozoa are one-celled microscopic organisms belonging to the animal kingdom and can be parasitic in nature. Protozoa that are pathogenic to humans include the Plasmodium/plaz-ˈmō-dē-əm/ species that causes malaria/mə-ˈler-ē-ə /;
Entamoeba/ˌen-tə-ˈmē-bə / histolytica, which causes amebic dysentery/ˈdi-sᵊn-ˌter-ē /;
and other strains capable of causing diarrhea.

Question 35

virus

Answer 35

Viruses are extremely small and can be seen only with an electron microscope (Fig. 16.2). They are composed of particles of nucleic acids, either DNA or RNA, with a protein coat and sometimes a membranous envelope.

Question 36

rickettsia
/ri-ˈket-sē-ə/

Answer 36

Rickettsia are small round or rod-shaped microorganisms that are transmitted by the bites of lice, ticks, fleas, and mites that act as vectors. They multiply only in host cells. Examples of rickettsial infection include Rocky Mountain spotted fever and typhus/ˈtī-fəs /.

Question 37

fungi /ˈfəŋ-ˌgī /
spore /ˈspȯr /
my·​co·​sis/ mī-ˈkō-səs / mycoses /mī-ˈkō-ˌsēz /
vaginal candidiasis /ˌkan-də-ˈdī-ə-səs/

Answer 37

Fungi are tiny, primitive organisms of the kingdom Fungi that contain no chlorophyll. Examples include yeasts and molds. Fungi feed on living plants, animals, and decaying organic material. They thrive in warm, moist environments. Fungi reproduce by means of spores. In humans, fungal infections are called mycoses. When the balance of normal flora is altered by antimicrobial therapy, fungal infections such as vaginal candidiasis may occur.

Question 38

helminth/ˈhel-ˌmin(t)th/
parasitic/ˌper-ə-ˈsi-tik / worms

Answer 38

Helminths are parasitic/ˌper-ə-ˈsi-tik / worms or flukes/ˈflük / belonging to the animal kingdom. Pinworms, which mostly affect children, are the most common helminths worldwide. Roundworms and tapeworms are other helminths.

Question 39

mycoplasmas
/ˌmī-kō-ˈplaz-mə /

Answer 39

Mycoplasmas are very small organisms without a cell wall. They cause infections of the respiratory or genital tract. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an example.

Question 40

chlamydia
/klə-ˈmi-dē-ə/
genitourinary/ˌje-nə-tō-ˈyu̇r-ə-ˌner-ē / and reproductive tracts

Answer 40

Chlamydia, another type of organism, affects the genitourinary/ˌje-nə-tō-ˈyu̇r-ə-ˌner-ē / and reproductive tracts and has become more common in the past 20 years.

Question 41

/klə-ˈmi-dē-ə /
Chlamydia trachomatis

Answer 41

In countries where hygiene is poor, Chlamydia trachomatis is responsible for trachoma/trə-ˈkō-mə /, an eye disease that can cause blindness.

Question 42

Causative Agent (Link One)
disinfection
VS
sterilization

Answer 42

Disinfection, which destroys or reduces infection-producing organisms, and sterilization, which removes all organisms, are methods used in the process of destroying microorganisms, pathogens, or toxins.

Question 43

Causative Agent (Link One)
virulence / ˈvir-ə-lən(t)s /

Answer 43

Characteristics that affect virulence are the ability to
(1) adhere to mucosal surfaces or cell walls,
(2) penetrate mucous membranes,
(3) multiply in the body,
(4) secrete harmful enzymes or toxins,
(5) resist phagocytosis (destruction by white blood cells [WBCs]), and
(6) bind with iron (essential to bacterial growth).

Question 44

Reservoir (Link Two)

Answer 44

Reservoirs are places where microorganisms are found.
Reservoirs can be infected wounds, human or animal waste, animals and insects, contaminated (made unclean) food and water, or a person with an infection.
Standard Precautions are used to prevent the spread of infection from the reservoir. Good hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of microorganisms. Using sterile (free from all microorganisms) technique, when appropriate, is another effective method; for example, it is used to insert an indwelling urinary catheter to help prevent the transfer of normal flora from the skin and mucous membranes into the sterile bladder, where it could cause an infection.

Question 45

Portal of Exit (Link Three)

Answer 45

The portal of exit is the route by which a pathogen leaves the body of its host.
Portal-of-exit transmission can be interrupted by identifying and treating infected patients. Isolation techniques and barrier precautions that include the proper handling and disposal of secretions, urine, feces, and exudate can prevent pathogen transfer.

Question 46

Mode of Transfer (Link Four)

body excretions or drainage

inanimate/(ˌ)i-ˈna-nə-mət / objects

fomites/ˈfō-ˌmīt /

aerosol/ˈer-ə-ˌsäl -ˌsȯl / route

Answer 46

Modes of transfer of pathogens include
(1) direct personal contact with body excretions or drainage such as from an infected wound;
(2) indirect contact with contaminated inanimate objects (called fomites), such as needles, drinking and eating utensils, dressings, clothing, and hospital equipment;
(3) vectors such as fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects that harbor infectious agents and transmit infection to humans through bites and stings;
(4) droplet infection, or contamination by the aerosol route through sneezing and coughing; and
(5) spread of infection from one part of the body to another.
1: not animate:
a: not endowed with life or spirit an inanimate object

Question 47

aerosol/ˈer-ə-ˌsäl -ˌsȯl / route

Answer 47

aerosol
noun
aero·​sol ˈer-ə-ˌsäl -ˌsȯl
1
: a suspension of fine solid or liquid particles in gas
Smoke, fog, and mist are aerosols.
airborne aerosol transmission of infective viral particles
also, aerosols plural : the fine particles of an aerosol
stratospheric aerosols
2
: a substance (such as an insecticide or medicine) dispensed from a pressurized container as an aerosol
also : the container for this

Question 48

Mode of Transfer (Link Four)

How can the mode of transmission be interrupted?

What should we teach patients to interrupt the mode of transmission?

Answer 48

The mode of transmission can be interrupted by
effective hand hygiene,
proper disinfection and sterilization of medical equipment, use of both surgical (sterile) and medical aseptic (free of microorganisms) technique in performing procedures and diagnostic tests,
and use of Standard Precautions to prevent contamination.

Teach patients
to cover the mouth when sneezing or coughing,
to dispose of soiled tissues correctly,
to wash hands after contact with potentially contaminated items, and
to avoid people who have an infection to reduce transmission of
pathogens.
Current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations are to sneeze or cough into the bended elbow rather than to cover the mouth with the hands. This way, the spread of the respiratory droplets is prevented, and hands are not contaminated.

Question 49

Mode of Transfer (Link Four)
abatement programs

Answer 49

Controlling insects with abatement programs, such as mosquito control, and filtering air in health care facilities are other methods of reducing pathogen transmission.

Question 50

Portal of Entry (Link Five)

Answer 50

Pathogens can enter the body through the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, mouth, trachea, or skin.
Using only sterile and clean items when caring for patients reduces the entry of pathogens. Barrier precautions (gloves, masks, condoms), safe handling of food and water, good personal hygiene, avoidance of high-risk behaviors, and protection from insect bites and stings can prevent entry of microorganisms.

Question 51

Susceptible/sə-ˈsep-tə-bəl / Host (Link Six)

virtue/ˈvər-(ˌ)chü / of age

Answer 51

A human host may be susceptible by virtue of age, state of health, or broken skin.

Question 52

comorbidities/(ˌ)kō-ˌmȯr-ˈbi-də-tē /

Answer 52

They also tend to have comorbidities (more than one illness or disease at the same time).

Question 53

mech·​a·​nism/ˈme-kə-ˌni-zəm/

Answer 53

These states seem to interfere with the body’s normal defense mechanisms.

Question 54

lodge/ˈläj /
grooves

Answer 54

Do not wear jewelry when you are providing patient care because microorganisms become lodged in the settings of stones, in the grooves of rings, and on the skin beneath the jewelry.