Mlsp lec 1

• An infection is a condition that results when a microorganism is able to invade the body, multiply, and cause injury or disease.
• A microorganism is a microscopic organism that can potentially benefit or harm living things, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses.
• A pathogen is a microorganism causing or producing infection or disease.
• Communicable infections are infections that can be easily spread from person to person, such as through an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in charge of the control of various diseases.
• Nosocomial infections are infections that are acquired in healthcare settings, including hospitals, and are associated with healthcare delivery.
• The chain of infection is a model used to depict the transmission of infection, with six components: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, pathway, susceptible host, and mode of transmission.
• An infectious agent, also called the pathogenic microbe, is the microorganism responsible for causing an infection.
• A reservoir is a place where the microbe can survive and grow or multiply, including humans, animals, food, water, soil, and contaminated articles and equipment.
• Quarantine is the process of separating and restricting the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.
• Good nutrition for personal wellness includes a balance of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and avoidance of processed foods with chemical additives or sweeteners.
• Personal hygiene for personal wellness includes bathing, brushing teeth, and changing clothes regularly.
• Protective/Reverse Isolation is used for patients who are highly susceptible to infections and involves protective measures being taken to keep healthcare workers and others from transmitting infection to the patient rather than vice versa.
• Under Universal Precaution, the blood and certain body fluids of all individuals are considered potentially infectious.
• Rest and exercise for personal wellness includes relaxation and enough sleep, and regular physical activity.
• Back protection for personal wellness includes using proper body mechanics and ergonomic lifting techniques.
• Personal Wellness requires a holistic approach and includes proper nutrition, rest and exercise, personal hygiene, back protection, and stress management.
• Stress management for personal wellness includes relaxation techniques and managing time efficiently.
• A fomite is an inanimate object that has the ability to transmit infection, and the ability of these inanimate objects to transmit infectious agents depends on the viability of the microorganism, its ability to survive on the object, and its degree of virulence.
• An exit pathway is a pathway where the infectious agent leaves a reservoir host.
• Means of transmission refers to the method that an infectious agent uses to travel from a reservoir to a susceptible individual, and can include airborne, contact, droplet, vector transmission.
• Modes of transmission refer to the different ways an infectious agent can travel from a reservoir to a susceptible individual, and can include airborne, contact, droplet, vector transmission.
• There are two types of Contact Transmission: Direct Contact Transmission and Indirect Contact Transmission.
• The Exit Pathway is the pathway where the infectious agent is able to exit a susceptible host, which can include breaks in the skin or mucous membranes.
• The Chain of Infection is the sequence of events that occur when an infectious agent is transmitted from one host to another.
• Contact Transmission is the most common means of transmitting infection.
• Droplet Spread/Transmission is the transfer of an infectious agent to the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, or conjunctiva of the eyes of a susceptible individual via particles 5 um in diameter or larger generated by coughing, sneezing, or talking or through procedures such as suctioning or throat swab collection.
• Airborne Transmission involves the dispersal of infectious agents that remain infective for long periods, typically less than 5 um in diameter, and can be inhaled, such as droplet nuclei (residue of evaporated droplets).
• Common factors that affect susceptibility include Age, Health, and Immune Status.
• EXIT PATHWAY • the pathway where the infectious agent is able to exit a susceptible host • include __________________ of the eyes, nose, or mouth; and ______________7

  CHAIN OF INFECTION • the sequence of events that occur when an infectious agent is transmitted from one host to another.
• Vehicle Transmission is the transmission of an infectious agent through contaminated food, water, or drugs.
• The Entry Pathway is the pathway where the infectious agent is able to enter a susceptible host, which can include breaks in the skin or mucous membranes.
• Direct Contact Transmission involves the transmission of an infectious agent to a susceptible host through methods such as touching or kissing.
• Vector Transmission is the transfer of an infectious agent carried by an animal, such as a mosquito, that can remain infective for long periods.
• Indirect Contact Transmission can occur when a susceptible host comes into contact with contaminated objects such as patient bed linens, clothing, dressings, and eating utensils.
• The Susceptible Host is someone with a reduced ability to resist infection.