Chain of Infection Cuesta College（链的感染单面山大学）.pdf

CHAIN OF INFECTION Infection control practices... • Prevent the spread of infection • Promote the health safety of: – patients – co-workers – yourself – your significant others Infections may be... • Acute – short term – relatively severe course • Chronic – long-term – may last a lifetime (HBV, HIV) – may require treatment for acute infections 1 Infection may be... • Localized – confined to identified site – exhibit heat, redness, swelling pain • Systemic (general) – involve the whole body – symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, etc. The signs symptoms of infection are... • The body’s inflammatory response • The body’s second line of defense 2 Infectious agents are.. • Pathogens - disease causing organisms: – bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa • Pathogenicity: – ability of microorganism to enter, survive in, produce disease • Virulence: – how harmful the disease will be – severity of the infectious agent – colonization: microorganisms invade host grow Reservoirs... • Anyplace an infectious agent can survive, grow, or multiply • plants, animals, soil, water, medical equipment • the human body is the most common reservoir • carrier - person who carries can spread disease Portals of exit... • Path by which infectious agent leaves the reservoir: • body fluids • mouth nose • cough • break chain of infection by covering mouth nose with tissue • WASH HANDS