Communicable Diseases, Safety, Infection Control, and Lines of Defense

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering infection control, chain of infection, sterilization, PPE protocols, transmission precautions, and immune system lines of defense.

Causative Agent

A pathogen or microbe capable of causing communicable diseases within the chain of infection.

Reservoir

The natural habitat of a particular pathogen where it lives and proliferates.

Portal of Exit

The path through which a pathogen leaves the reservoir, such as through excretions or secretions.

Mode of Transmission (MOT)

The mechanism by which a pathogen moves from one host or reservoir to another; recognized as the weakest link in the chain of infection and the primary target for infection control.

Direct Transmission

A form of contact transmission involving person-to-person transfer of a causative agent.

Indirect Transmission

A form of contact transmission occurring when a pathogen is passed from a person through an intermediate middle element to another person.

Fomites

Contaminated non-living objects that serve as intermediate elements in indirect contact transmission.

Airborne Transmission

Aerosol transmission involving micro-organisms suspended in the air using pressure, with particles $< 5\,\text{micrometers}$ traveling distances $> 6\,\text{ft}$ ($2\,\text{meters}$).

Droplet Transmission

Transmission involving pathogen particles $> 5\,\text{micrometers}$ traveling short distances of $< 6\,\text{ft}$ or up to $3\,\text{ft}$ ($1\,\text{meter}$).

Susceptible Host

A vulnerable host whose likelihood of infection is influenced by intrinsic factors such as age, gender, and genetics.

Small Blood Spill Bleach Ratio

A cleaning dilution ratio of $1:100$ bleach used for managing small blood spills.

Large Blood Spill Bleach Ratio

A cleaning dilution ratio of $1:10$ bleach used for managing large blood spills.

Decontamination

The process of cleaning a specific microbe-contaminated area or object to make it safe to handle.

Disinfection

An infection control process that kills microorganisms on surfaces, but not all of them.

Antiseptic

A chemical agent formulated specifically for use on living skin to eliminate or inhibit pathogens.

Sterilization

An infection control process that kills all microorganisms and is utilized across all healthcare institutions.

Plasma Hydrogen Peroxide Sterilization

A sterilization method that operates at a cooler temperature of $420^\circ\text{C}$ for $30\,\text{minutes}$.

Autoclave Sterilization

A sterilization method utilizing heat and pressure at $121^\circ\text{C}$ for $30\,\text{minutes}$ ($15\,\text{minutes}$ for minor surgery like Tuli).

Ethylene Oxide Sterilization

A sterilization process utilizing gas exposure for a duration of $1 - 6\,\text{hours}$.

Cidex Sterilization

A sterilization process utilizing liquid exposure for a duration of $3 - 12\,\text{hours}$.

Boiling Sterilization

A sterilization method common in rural areas using $100^\circ\text{C}$ water for a minimum of $1\,\text{hour}$.

Liquid Soap Handwashing Volume

The specific volume of liquid soap required for handwashing, measured as $4 - 5\,\text{ml}$.

Handwashing Duration Guidelines

Handwashing duration requirements: a minimum of $20\,\text{seconds}$, an average of $20 - 30\,\text{seconds}$, and $2 - 5\,\text{minutes}$ for surgical handwashing.

Five Moments of Handwashing

Critical standard moments for handwashing: before touching a patient, before clean/aseptic procedure, after touching a patient, after touching patient surroundings, and after body fluids/blood exposure.

Tier 1 Standard Precautions

Infection control precautions (formerly known as Universal Precautions) applied to all hospitalized individuals and for all body fluids or blood.

FFP1 Mask

A Filtering Face Piece mask (e.g., P-1 mask) with $80 - 94\%$ filter efficiency that provides no virus-level protection.

FFP2 Mask

A Filtering Face Piece mask (e.g., N95 mask) offering $95\%$ filtration efficiency to protect against viruses.

FFP3 Mask

A high-filtration system Filtering Face Piece mask (e.g., N99 mask) offering $99\%$ filtration efficiency.

Contact Precautions

Tier 2 precautions implemented for conditions like MRSA, STDs/STIs (herpes), and food-borne conditions requiring a private room, cohorting, gloves, gown, and discarding waste bins when $3/4$ full per ANA.

Droplet Precautions

Tier 2 precautions for pathogens $> 5\,\text{micrometers}$ (e.g., Influenza, Pneumonia, Meningitis, Rubella) requiring a private room, cohorting, and surgical mask.

Airborne Precautions

Tier 2 precautions for pathogens $< 5\,\text{micrometers}$ (e.g., Chicken pox, Rubeola, Tuberculosis, Covid 19) requiring a private room, negative air pressure, N95 mask, and no cohorting except in a pandemic.

Donning Sequence

The exact procedure for putting on Personal Protective Equipment: Gown, Mask, Goggles, Gloves.

Doffing Sequence

The exact procedure for removing Personal Protective Equipment: Gloves, Goggles, Gown, Mask.

First Line of Defense

The primary innate physical barrier consisting of skin and mucous membranes.

Inflammatory Response

The second line of defense triggered by cytokines, characterized by pain, fever, redness, edema, sore throat, myalgia, arthralgia, and headache.

Innate Immunity

Natural defense system present at birth consisting of cell-mediated response (T-cells targeting infected cells) and humoral response (B-cells neutralizing pathogens).

IgG

The most prominent immunoglobulin in blood and tissue (dugo) that provides transplacental immunity from mother to fetus.

IgA

An antibody present in mucosal areas, colostrum, and breast milk (breastfeeding).

IgM

The largest antibody structure and the first immunoglobulin to appear in response to an antigen.

IgE

The immunoglobulin responsible for mediating allergic reactions and fighting off parasites.

IgD

An immunoglobulin with memory cell function that lacks a unique specific role and mimics certain effects of other antibodies.

Active Natural Immunity

Adaptive immunity produced by host exposure to an actual infectious pathogen, such as Dengue.

Active Artificial Immunity

Adaptive immunity induced intentionally through administration of vaccines.

Passive Natural Immunity

Adaptive immunity acquired naturally via transplacental antibody transfer or breastfeeding/colostrum.

Passive Artificial Immunity

Adaptive immunity conferred via administration of immunoglobulins or rabies vaccines.