MICRO LAB

• Elements of an Infectious Process/Chain of Infection

  • Infectious agent-disease-producing pathogen
  • Reservoir-environment place where the pathogen lives (people, animals/ insects, medical equipment, soil, and water)
  • Portal of Exit -way of the pathogen to leave or exit from the reservoir
  • Mode of Transmission-transmission process of the pathogen
  • Portal of Entry- a way of the pathogen to enter the new host (through open wound, respiratory tract, mucous membranes, catheter, and tubes)
  • Susceptible host-any person vulnerable of whom are receiving healthcare, are immunocompromised, or have invasive medical devices such as lines, devices, airways)
• Susceptible Host


  • Elderly
  • Immunocompromised
  • Anyone with invasive medical devices
• Reservoir can be people, animals/insects, medical equipment, soil, and water
• Portal of Entry can be through open wound, respiratory tract, mucous membranes, catheter, and tubes
• Mode of Transmission


  How an infectious agent is spread from one host to another
• Portal of Exit


  The route by which an infectious agent leaves the host
• Infection


  The invasion and growth of infectious agent in the body
• Infectious diseases


  Disorders/abnormalities caused by different microorganisms
• Pathogenicity


  The ability of an organism to cause disease, quality, or state of being pathogenic
• Virulence


  Refers to the magnitude of the disease caused
• Endotoxin


  Membrane compound of gram-negative bacteria which elicits an inflammatory response in host
• Exotoxin


  Secreted proteins which act locally and at the bacterial colonization