Infection Control

• Standard Precautions


  Applicable to all patients; Blood; Body Fluids except sweat
• Elements of Universal/Standard Precautions

  Handwashing - Single most important way to prevent infection
• Elements of Universal/Standard Precautions

  Handwashing - Alcohol CANNOT be used for spore-forming organisms
• Elements of Universal/Standard Precautions

  Friction - most important variable in handwashing; rubbing hands
• Elements of Universal/Standard Precautions

  Handwashing - Minimum time is at least 20 seconds
• Elements of Universal/Standard Precautions

  Personal Protective Equipment

  • Donning ORDER: Gown > Mask > Goggles > Gloves (GowMaGogGlo)
• Elements of Universal/Standard Precautions

  Personal Protective Equipment

  • Doffing ORDER: Gloves > Goggles > Gown > Mask (Alphabetical Order)
• Elements of Universal/Standard Precautions

  Sharps - DO NOT RECAP
• Transmission-Based Precaution


  For highly contagious patients
• Contact Precautions


  Mode of Transmission: Fecal-oral, Skin to skin
• Contact Precautions

  Placed in Isolation Room
• Contact Precautions

  Dedicated equipments; NO sharing
• Contact Precautions

  Cohorting - same causative agent, NOT disease
• Contact Precautions: Three subtypes: 

  Direct - actual and physical contact
• Contact Precautions: Three subtypes: 

  Indirect via contaminated object (fomites)
• Contact Precautions: Three subtypes: 

  Droplet respiratory secretions (large particles), transmitted within 3 feet (close contact)
• Contact Precautions

  PPE: Gloves and Gown before entering and leaving the room
• Airborne Precautions


  Diseases that can transmit >3 feet
• Airborne Precautions

  Wear N-95 mask; removed after you leave the room
• Vehicle Transmission (carrier)


  Non living carrier
• Vector Transmission (carrier)


  Living carrier
• Vector Transmission (carrier)


  e.g. Mosquito - Dengue, Malaria, Filariasis
• Vector Transmission (carrier)


  e.g. Rat - leptospirosis
• Droplet Precautions


  Respiratory but NOT MTV COD; Transmissible via close contact
• Droplet Precautions

  Placed in Private Room
• Droplet Precautions


  Used in German Measles
• Droplet Precautions

  Use surgical mask
• Airborne Precautions

  Placed in Negative Air Pressure room - 6-12 air exchanges per hour; door is ALWAYS closed
• Airborne Precautions


  For (Measles, TB, Varicella) MTV + (COVID-19 in the hospital, Disseminated Herpes Zoster) COD
• Vehicle Transmission (carrier)


  e.g. Salmonella (egg, chicken)
• Vehicle Transmission (carrier)


  e.g. Botulism (Infants: honey - causes descending paralysis; Adults: homemade canned goods)