HOSA Bowl: Infection Control

microorganisms

living organisms too small to be seen with the naked eye

pathogens

Microbes that cause disease

nonpathogens

microorganisms that are part of the normal flora of the body and are beneficial in maintaining certain body processes.

aerobic

requires oxygen to live

anearobic

no oxygen is required

asepsis

absence of pathogens

antisepsis

the process of inhibiting the growth and multiplication of microorganisms

sterile

free of all microorganisms, pathogenic and nonpathogenic

contaminated

organisms and pathogens are present

disinfection

this is a process that destroys or kills pathogenic organisms (example: bleach)

sterilization

a process that destroys all microorganisms, including spores and viruses (example: chemicals, radiation, gas)

nosocomical infection

one acquired by an individual in a health-care facility such as hospital

opportunistic infection

Infections that occur when the body's defenses are weakened

bacteria

one-celled microorganisms, some of which are beneficial and some of which cause disease (tuberculosis, pertussis, strep throat)

protozoa

These are one-celled animal-like organisms often found in decayed materials animal or bird feces, insect bites and contaminated water, pathogenic and cause diseases such as malaria and aftrican sleeping sickness

fungi

These are simple, plant-like organisms that live on dead organic matter. Yeast and mold are two common forms that can be pathogenic. They cause diseases such as ringworm, athletes foot and thrush

rickettsiae

These are parasitic microorganisms, which means they cannot live outside the cells of another living organism . They are found in fleas , lice, ticks and mites.

viruses

These are the smallest microorganisms, visible only using an electron microscope.

They cannot reproduce unless they are inside another living cell. They are spread by blood and body secretions.

They are difficult to kill by disinfectants and they are not affected by antibiotics. They may cause diseases such as chicken pox, herpes, influenza

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

A barrier between a person and pathogens; includes gloves, gowns, masks, goggles, and face shields.

standard precautions

practices used in health care facilities to prevent the spread of infection

chain of infection

Factors that must be present for disease to occur

causative agent

The pathogen responsible for causing an infection; also called the infectious agent.

reservoir

anything (a person or animal or plant or substance) in which an infectious agent normally lives and multiplies

portal of exit

a way for the causative agent to be released from the reservoir (urine, feces, saliva, blood, tears, mucous discharge, draining wounds: in the body)

mode of transmission

way in which it can be transmitted to another reservoir or host where it can live

portal of entry

a way for the causative agent to enter a new reservoir or host

susceptible host

A person likely to get an infection or disease.

Severe Acute Respiratory (SARS)

Is caused by a variant of the coronavirus family that causes the common cold. It is characterized by flu like symptoms that can lead to respiratory failure and death.

West Nile Virus

infection is transmitted by mosquito-borne and can cause flu-like symptoms that can result in encephalitis or meningitis which can lead to death

Monkeypox

a hanta-virus that effects monkeys, other primates, and rodents, mutated and spread to humans. Infection usually occurs after contacting body secretions or excretions (urine or stool of the infected animals or ingesting food that has been contaminated by fluids from infected animals.

Ebola and Marburg

first effected primates and then spread to humans. These viruses cause hemorrhagic fever

H5N1

virus that causes avian or bird flu resulted from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. The death rate for bird flu is between 50-60 percent.

Hepatitis B

Also called serum hepatitis, is caused by the HBV virus and is transmitted by blood, serum, and other body secretions.

Hepatitis C

caused by hepatitis c virus, or HCV, and is transmitted by blood and blood-containing body fluids

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and suppresses the immune system.

Helminths

multicellular parasitic organisms commonly called worms or flukes

Endogenous

the infection or disease originates within the body

Exogenous

Infection or disease originating outside of or external to the body

fomites

Objects contaminates with infectious material that contains the pathogens.

Bioterrorism

is the use of microorganisms, or biologic agents, as weapons to infect humans, animals and plants. Could cause an epidemic and public health emergency.

Smallpox

, highly contagious infectious disease, caused by the variola virus,

Anthrax

Infectious disease caused by a spore-forming bacterium (Bacillus anthracis).

Plague

infectious disease with a high mortality rate; caused by Yersinia pestis.

Botulism

is a paralytic illness caused by nerve toxins produced by bacteria called Clostridium botulinum

Tularemia

Francisealla tularensis. Major zoonotic disease indigenous to many Us areas. new plague like bacterium and plague like disease, rabbits are source of infection

Filoviruses

Filovirus is an infectious disease that causes severe hemorrhagic fever., Ebola/Marburg hemorrhagic fever

Handwashing

Most important method used to practice aseptic technique

Autoclave

A device that uses pressurized steam to sterilize instruments and equipment

Chemical disinfection

Is the appropriate term because sterilization does not occur (rather than cold sterilization, a term sometimes used) must be submerged for more than 10 hours in chemical, read label

Ultrasonic

cleaning uses sound waves to clean.

Cavitation

The cleaning process employed in an ultrasonic unit; bubbles explode to drive cleaning solution onto article being cleaned

sterile field

Has been set up (for example, a sterile towel has been placed on a tray), never reach across the top of the field.

Drop Technique

used for gauze pads, dressings, and small items. wrapper is partially opened and then held upside down over sterile field. item drops out of wrapper and onto sterile field. impt to keep fingers back so article does not touch the skin as it falls out of wrapper. also impt to avoid touching the inside of wrapper.

Mitten Technique

used for bowls, drapes, linens. opended and its loose ends are grasped around wrist w opposite hand. a mitten is formed around the hand that is sill holding item. w mitten hand the item can be placed on sterile tray.

Transfer forceps

used for cotton balls, small items, or articles that cannot be removed by the drop or mitten techniques. either sterille gloves or sterile transfer forceps (pick-ups) are used. sterile transfer forceps or pickups are removed from their container of disinfectant solution and used to grasp the article from the unopened package. item is then removed from opened sterile wrap and placed on sterile field. forceps must be pointed down.

Communicable Diseases

is caused by a pathogenic organism that can be easily transmitted to others

epidemic

occurs when the communicable disease spreads rapidly from person to person and effects a large number of people at the same time.

Pandemic

an outbreak of a disease occurring over a large geographic area, possibly worldwide

Transferred -based Isolation precaution

is a method or technique of caring for patients who have communicable diseases.

Contaminated

when an object or product has microorganisms in or on it.

Clean

Means that objects or parts of objects do not contain disease-producing organisms and therefore have minimal chance of spreading the disease.

Airborne Precautions

Are used for patients known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by airborne droplet nuclei, small particle of evaporated droplets that contain microorganisms and remain suspended in the air or on dust particles.

Droplet Precautions

must be followed for a patient known or suspected to be infected with pathogens transmitted by large-particle droplets expelled during coughing, sneezing, talking, or laughing.

Contact Precautions

Must be followed for any patients known or suspected to be infected with epidemiologically (capable of spreading rapidly from person to person) important microorganisms that can be transmitted by either direct or indirect contact.

Protective or reverse isolation

refers to methods used to protect certain patients from organisms present in the environment.

cocci

round or spherical bacteria

diplococci

Spherical bacteria that grow in pairs and cause diseases such as pneumonia

streptococci

chains of cocci that cause strep throat

straphylococci

pus forming bacteria that grows in clusters like a bunch of grapes.

They cause abscesses, pustules, and boils

bacilli

Rod-shaped spore-forming bacteria that cause diseases such as tetanus and tuberculosis.

spirilla

Spiral or corkscrew-shaped bacteria that cause diseases such as syphilis and Lyme disease.

vibrio

A rod-shaped bacterial cell that is curved to form a comma-like shape