Disease Transmission and Infection Prevention

Flashcards covering disease transmission, infection prevention, immunology, CDC/OSHA regulations, PPE, and waste management in dental offices.

Chain of Infection

Consists of six links: Infectious agent, Reservoir, Portal of exit, Mode of transmission, Portal of entry, and Susceptible host.

Infectious Agent

A pathogen that must be present (e.g., bacterium, virus, fungus, parasite, prion) and must be virulent.

Virulence

The degree of pathogenicity, or the strength of the organism in its ability to cause disease.

Reservoir

A place where microorganisms normally live and reproduce, such as humans, animals, food, water, bioburden, or contaminated surfaces.

Portal of Entry

The means by which a pathogen gets into the body to cause infection, such as the mouth and nose for airborne pathogens or breaks in the skin/mucous membranes for blood-borne pathogens.

Susceptible Host

A person who is unable to resist infection by a pathogen, often due to poor health, fatigue, stress, or a weakened immune system.

Acute Infection

An infection where symptoms are often quite severe and appear soon after the initial infection occurs.

Chronic Infection

An infection where the microorganism is present for a long period, sometimes for life.

Latent Infection

A persistent infection in which symptoms come and go, like cold sores caused by oral herpes simplex.

Opportunistic Infection

An infection caused by normally nonpathogenic organisms; occurs in individuals whose resistance is decreased or compromised.

Direct Transmission

Occurs when someone comes into direct contact with an infectious lesion or infected body fluids (e.g., blood, saliva, semen, vaginal secretions).

Indirect Transmission

Involves the transfer of organisms to a susceptible person through handling contaminated instruments or touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the face, eyes, or mouth.

Airborne Transmission

Also known as droplet infection, involves the spread of disease through droplets of moisture containing bacteria or viruses.

Aerosols, Sprays, and Spatter

Particles containing saliva, blood, and microorganisms created during dental procedures with high-speed handpieces, air-water syringes, and ultrasonic scalers.

Mists

Droplet particles larger than those in aerosol spray.

Spatter

Large droplet particles contaminated with blood, saliva, and other debris, often splashing the mucosa (mouth or eyes) or nonintact skin during dental procedures.

Parenteral Transmission

Transmission that can take place through needle stick injuries, human bites, cuts, abrasions, or any break in the skin.

Blood-Borne Transmission

Involves direct or indirect contact with blood and other body fluids.

Communicable Disease

A disease that can be transmitted from one person to another or by contact with body fluids from another person.

Inherited Immunity

Immunity that is present at birth.

Acquired Immunity

Immunity that is developed over a person
’s lifetime.

Naturally Acquired Immunity

Immunity that occurs when a person has contracted and is recovering from a disease (can be active or passive).

Artificially Acquired Immunity

Immunity where antibodies are introduced into the body by means of immunization or vaccination.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

A federal agency that issues specific recommendations based on sound scientific evidence on health-related matters and establishes a standard of care for the dental profession (not a regulatory agency).

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

A federal regulatory agency that issues specific standards to protect the health of employees in the United States, including the Blood-Borne Pathogens Standard (BBP).

OSHA Blood-Borne Pathogens Standard (BBP)

The most important infection control law in dentistry, designed to protect employees against occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens.

Universal Precautions

Based on the concept that all human blood and body fluids (including saliva) are to be treated as if known to be infected with blood-borne diseases like HBV, HCV, or HIV.

Standard Precautions

An expanded concept from Universal Precautions, integrating elements to protect healthcare providers from pathogens spread by blood or any other body fluid, excretion, or secretion, applied to all patients.

Occupational Exposure

Any reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane contact, or percutaneous injury with blood or any other potentially infectious materials.

Alcohol-Based Hand Rubs

Waterless antiseptic agents (gels, foams, or rinses) that are effective at reducing microbial flora, especially with 60% to 95% alcohol concentrations.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Equipment provided by the employer to protect employees from exposure to saliva, blood, aerosol, and other contaminated materials, including clothing, masks, eyewear, and gloves.

Protective Masks

Worn over the nose and mouth to protect from inhaling infectious organisms spread by aerosol spray or accidental splashes, with at least 95% filtration efficiency for particles 3-5 mm.

Protective Eyewear

Worn to protect eyes against damage from aerosolized pathogens, spattered solutions, or caustic chemicals, requiring both front and side protection.

Face Shield

A chin-length plastic shield that can be worn as an alternative to protective eyewear, but cannot substitute for a face mask as it does not protect against aerosol inhalation.

Examination Gloves

Usually made of latex or vinyl, worn by dental professionals during routine patient care and discarded after a single use.

Overgloves

Lightweight, clear plastic gloves worn over contaminated treatment gloves to prevent contamination of clean objects handled during treatment; not for intraoral procedures.

Sterile Surgical Gloves

Gloves worn for invasive procedures involving cutting bone or significant amounts of blood or saliva, such as oral surgery or periodontal treatment, supplied in prepackaged sterile units.

Utility Gloves

Heavy-duty gloves worn for non-patient care tasks like cleaning and disinfecting treatment rooms or handling contaminated instruments; they can be washed and reused after disinfection or sterilization.

Irritant Dermatitis

A nonimmunologic skin reaction caused by contact with a chemical irritant, resulting in reddened, dry, irritated, or cracked skin.

Type IV Allergic Reaction (Latex)

The most common type of latex allergy, a delayed contact reaction involving the immune system, appearing 48-72 hours later, limited to contact areas, caused by chemicals used to process latex.

Type I Allergic Reaction (Latex)

The most dangerous type of latex allergy, a severe immunologic response to latex protein, usually occurring 2-3 minutes after contact, and can be life-threatening.

General Waste

All nonhazardous, nonregulated waste, such as disposable paper towels, paper mixing pads, and empty food containers.

Contaminated Waste

Waste that has had contact with blood or other body fluids, including used barriers and patient napkins.

Hazardous Waste

Waste that poses a risk to human beings and the environment, such as toxic chemicals (e.g., scrap amalgam, spent fixer solution, lead foil).

Infectious or Regulated Waste (Biohazard)

Contaminated waste capable of transmitting an infectious disease, including blood/blood-soaked materials, pathologic waste, and sharps.

Medical Waste

Any solid waste generated in the diagnosis, treatment, or immunization of human beings or animals in research.

Saliva Ejector (CDC Recommendation)

The CDC advises against patients closing their lips tightly around the saliva ejector tip to prevent backflow and potential cross-contamination.

Preprocedural Mouth Rinses

Mouth rinses used before dental procedures intended to reduce microorganisms in aerosols and spatter or introduced into the bloodstream; their effectiveness in preventing clinical infections is an unresolved issue.

Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (TB) in Dental Settings

For patients with known or suspected active TB, elective dental treatment should be delayed; urgent care patients should be referred to facilities with TB engineering controls and a respiratory protection program.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)

A rapidly progressive, invariably fatal degenerative neurologic disorder in humans and animals, thought to be caused by prions; infectivity of oral tissues is an unresolved issue for CDC recommendations.

Prion Diseases

A group of fatal degenerative neurologic disorders with incubation periods of years, usually fatal within 1 year of diagnosis, caused by prions.

Laser Plumes / Surgical Smoke

Smoke by-products created during the thermal destruction of tissue in surgical procedures using lasers or electrosurgical units, posing a risk to dental healthcare professionals.