MICROBIOLOGY

• What is the definition of infection control?


  Infection control refers to measures used to prevent the spread of avoidable infections.
• Why is infection control important in healthcare settings?

  It reduces the likelihood and incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
• What are the consequences of poor infection control in healthcare facilities?

  • Reputational risk affecting patients and staff
  • Longer patient stays increasing risk
  • Fewer available beds for patients
  • Audit risk from organizations
  • Litigation risk
• What is colonization in microbiology?


  Colonization is bacterial growth present without causing illness or tissue damage.
• What is an infection?

  An infection occurs when pathogens invade a susceptible host and cause disease.
• What is an infectious disease?

  An infectious disease is caused by organisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
• What is a communicable disease?

  A communicable disease is an infectious disease spread through direct or indirect contact.
• What is a localized infection?

  A localized infection has symptoms at the infection site, such as redness and tenderness.
• What is a systemic infection?


  A systemic infection has symptoms that are widespread throughout the body.
• What is a healthcare-associated infection (HAI)?

  An HAI is an infection that occurs in a patient as a result of care at a healthcare facility.
• What does Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) include?

  PPE includes protective clothing, helmets, gloves, face shields, and masks.
• What is an antimicrobial?

  An antimicrobial is anything that kills or slows the growth of a microbe.
• What is an antibiotic?

  An antibiotic is a medicine that kills specific disease-causing bacteria.
• What is antibiotic resistance?

  Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria mutate and survive antibiotic treatment.
• What is an antiseptic?

  An antiseptic is a substance applied to living tissue to destroy or slow the growth of microbes.
• What are the modes of transmission for infectious diseases?

  • Airborne (Aerosol) Transmission
  • Respiratory (Droplet) Transmission
  • Fomite (Surface) Transmission
  • Trans-cutaneous (Vector) Transmission
  • Physical Contact
  • Sexual Contact
  • Transfusion (Blood)
  • Enteric (Faecal-oral) Transmission
  • Vertical (Maternal-foetal) Transmission
• What is airborne transmission?

  Airborne transmission occurs when infectious agents are carried in the air via aerosols.
• What diseases are transmitted via airborne transmission?

  Diseases include measles, tuberculosis, chickenpox, and SARS/Covid-19.
• What is respiratory (droplet) transmission?

  Respiratory transmission occurs when infectious agents are carried via droplets from an infected person's mouth or nose.
• What diseases are transmitted via respiratory (droplet) transmission?

  Diseases include flu, whooping cough, and common colds.
• What is fomite transmission?

  Fomite transmission involves inanimate objects contaminated with infectious agents.
• What diseases are transmitted via fomite transmission?

  Diseases include adenoviruses, noroviruses, and respiratory viruses.
• What is vector-borne transmission?

  Vector-borne transmission occurs when a living organism carries a disease pathogen to another organism.
• What diseases are transmitted via vector-borne transmission?

  Diseases include malaria, West Nile virus, and rabies.
• What is physical contact transmission?

  Physical contact transmission occurs through direct physical contact like touching or hugging.
• What diseases are transmitted via physical contact?

  Diseases include pink eye and athlete's foot.
• What is sexual contact transmission?

  Sexual contact transmission occurs through sexual intercourse and activities.
• What diseases are transmitted via sexual contact?

  Diseases include HIV, hepatitis B and C, and gonorrhea.
• What are transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs)?

  TTIs are blood-borne infections from the introduction of a pathogen via blood transfusion.
• What diseases are transmitted via transfusion?

  Diseases include staph infection, hepatitis, and malaria.
• What is enteric (faecal-oral) transmission?

  Enteric transmission involves infectious agents spread from the faeces of an infected individual to another's mouth.
• What diseases are transmitted via enteric transmission?

  Diseases include norovirus, rotavirus, and typhoid.
• What is vertical transmission?

  Vertical transmission refers to a pathogen passed from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth.
• What diseases are transmitted via vertical transmission?

  Diseases include HIV, German measles, and herpes simplex virus-2.
• What is a microbe?

  A microbe is a living thing too small to be seen without a microscope.
• What are the five categories of microbes?

  The five categories are bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and prions.
• What are the characteristics of bacteria?

  Bacteria are unicellular, lack a nucleus, and can be harmless or pathogenic.
• How are bacteria named?

  Bacteria are named by genus and species, such as Escherichia coli.
• What is MRSA?

  MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
• What are opportunistic pathogens?


  Opportunistic pathogens usually do not cause disease but can exploit a weakened immune system.