These are examples of this type of microorganism:

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, skin infections of nails, scalp, feet (athlete's foot)

• Blood
• All body fluids
• Secretions and excretions (except sweat), regardless of whether they contain visible blood.
• Non-intact skin
• Mucus membranes.

• Airborne
• Droplet
• Contact

True/False

Standard precautions are the current infection-control system.

1. Infections (Pathogenic) organisms
2. Reservoir of Infection
3. Portal of Exit
4. Susceptible Host
5. Portal of Entry
6. Means of Transmission

1. Hand hygiene and other cleanliness measures
2. Disinfection-the destruction of pathogens by using chemical materials.
3. Sterilization (surgical asepsis)-involves treating items with heat, gas, or chemicals to make them germ free.

True/False

Hand hygiene is your first line of defense in personal cleanliness.

True/False

Alcohol-based rubs are less effective at killing some HAI organisms.

True/False

Alcohol-based rubs are only for use on hands that are not visibly soiled.

• Bacterial spores like Clostridium difficile (C-diff)
• Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax)

Cycle of Infection:

The Reservoir of Infection is a place where pathogens can thrive in sufficient numbers to pose a threat.

What are these 3 things?

1. Moisture
2. Nutrients
3. Suitable temperature

(May be human or non-human e.g. food, water, animals)

In the Cycle of Infection, this is

"any route through which blood, body fluids, excretions, or secretions leave the body."

• Replace linens after each patient-used linen is considered contaminated even without any visible soiling.
• Dispose of contaminated linens
• Sharps container is proper disposal of needles
• Blood-contaminated items (gauze, bandages) also have designated disposal containers.

• By folding the edges to the middle without shaking or flapping. Place loosely balled linens in designated hamper or in a laundry bag designed to dissolve in hot water (per facility infection control policy)

Susceptible Hosts

CDC currently recommends isolating patients based on the 4 following precautions as a part of standard precautions:

(Also a part of the Isolation Technique)

• Transmission
• Airborne
• Droplet
• Contact

1. Direct Contact
2. Fomites
3. Vectors
4. Vehicles
5. Airborne
6. Droplet Contamination

• Health care workers/visitors must wear a particulate respirator when entering patient room that must be capable of filtering particles 1 micron in size and have 95% efficiency.
• Negative airflow rooms-Special air circulation through HEPA filters; 6 air exchanges per hour. Doors must remain closed at all times.

• Health care workers and visitors must wear a surgical mask when in close contact with the patient

Direct Contact

Requires the pathogens to be placed in direct contact with susceptible tissue

Infection: This type of 'means of transmission' occurs from dust that contains spores or by means of droplet nuclei

hint: 5 microns or smaller

Airborne

note: Can remain suspended in the air for long periods.

Infection: This type of 'means of transmission' occurs when an infectious individual coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings in the vicinity of a susceptible host.

hint: droplets greater than 5 microns

Droplet Contamination

note: involves the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose or mouth. Do not travel far! 3 ft or less

Healthcare–associated infections (HAI's)

aka

Nosocimial infections

- Allow the world to bleed under cold running water and wash with soap

- If eyes, nose, or mouth is splashed with the patients bodily fluids, rinse these mucous membranes with water

- Fill out an incident report

- Some hospitals require a baseline blood sample to be drawn

Tuberculosis