2 Causes of Infection Focus on: The different types of germs that can cause diseaseThe conditions that promote the growth of germs
3 InfectionMicrobes: Living organisms that cannot be seen with the naked eyePathogen: A microbe that can cause diseaseInfection: An illness caused by pathogens or germsCommunicable infections: Infections that can spread from one person to another
4 Infection (cont.)Microbes are generally classified as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.Most pathogens prefer an environment that is warm, moist, dark, and with proper amounts of oxygen.
6 Infection: Question Is the following statement True or False? Microbes that cause illness are called pathogens.
7 Infection: Answer True Rationale: Pathogens are microbes that cause illness.
8 Defenses Against Infection Focus on:The defense mechanisms the body uses to fight infectionDefining the word antibodies
9 The Immune System The body’s defenses against pathogens Nonspecific defense:Help to protect us from all infectionsSpecific defense:Help to protect us only from certain infections
10 Nonspecific Defense Mechanisms Healthy skin:Clean, dry skin without cuts, scrapes, or woundsHealthy mucous membranes:The sticky mucus they secrete traps and destroys pathogens.
11 Nonspecific Defense Mechanisms (cont.) In an infection:Blood vessels around the site of infection dilate, allowing more blood to flow to the area.White blood cells destroy pathogens that invade the body.See Figure 10-1.
12 Nonspecific Defense Mechanisms (cont.) The person develops a fever causing the pathogens to die in the hot environment.Signs and symptoms of an infection:RednessWarmthPainSwelling
13 Specific Defense Mechanisms Antibodies:Specialized proteins produced by the immune system that help our bodies to fight off specific pathogensOur bodies produce antibodies through:Previous infection with the pathogenVaccination
14 MedicationsMany medications are available to help us fight infections:Antibiotics: Used to treat bacterial infectionsAntimicrobials: Used to treat fungal and parasitic infectionsAntivirals: Used to treat viral infections
15 Ways Infections Are Transmitted Focus on:The airborne route of transmissionThe direct route of transmissionThe oral-fecal route of transmissionThe bloodborne route of transmissionIdentifying body fluids that are most likely to contain bloodborne pathogens
16 Ways Infections Are Transmitted (cont.) The airborne route of transmissionSome infections are transmitted through the air. The person becomes infected when he or she breathes contaminated air.Infections: Tuberculosis (TB), measles, and chickenpox
17 Ways Infections Are Transmitted (cont.) The direct route of transmissionSome infections are transmitted through contact with an infected person or objects that the infected person has used.Infections: Herpes and conjunctivitis
18 Ways Infections Are Transmitted (cont.) The oral-fecal route of transmissionSome infections are transmitted when feces containing a pathogen contaminate food or water that is then consumed by another person.Infections: Hepatitis A, hepatitis E, and some types of parasitic infectionsSee Figure 10-2.
19 Ways Infections Are Transmitted (cont.) The bloodborne route of transmissionIdentifying body fluids that are most likely to contain bloodborne pathogensInfections: Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D, and HIV infection/AIDS
20 Bloodborne Transmission Blood or body fluids from an infected person enter the bloodstream of an uninfected person:Needlesticks, cutsDirect contact between blood and broken skin, mucous membranes, or the eyesSee Figure 10-3.Body fluids include:Blood, semen, vaginal secretions, wound drainage, cerebrospinal fluid, amniotic fluid, and breast milk
21 Defenses Against Infection: Question Is the following statement True or False?Our first line of defense against infection includes medications and vaccinations.
22 Defenses Against Infection: Answer FalseRationale: Our first line of defense against infection includes healthy skin and mucous membranes.
23 Chain of Infection Focus on: The six key conditions that must be met for an infection to be spread from one person to anotherHow the chain of infection can be broken
24 Chain of Infection (cont.) For a person to get a communicable infection, six key conditions must be met.Eliminating any one of the six key elements breaks the chain and prevents the spread of infection.
27 Breaking the Chain of Infection (cont.) Eliminating any one of the six key elements breaks the chain and prevents the spread of infection.
28 Chain of Infection: Question Which are elements of the chain of infection? (Select all that apply.)A. PathogenB. ReservoirC. Portal of exitD. Portal of entryE. Healthy skin
29 Chain of Infection: Answer A, B, C, and DRationale: The chain of infection describes the elements that must be present for an infection to occur. The six elements of the chain of infection are pathogen, reservoir, portal of exit, method of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host.
30 Methods of Infection Control Focus on:Ways that a person could get an infection within the health care systemThe four major methods of infection controlThe four techniques that make up the practice of medical asepsisHandwashing as the single most important method of preventing the spread of infection
31 Methods of Infection Control (cont.) Focus on:Personal protective equipment’s (PPE) role in infection controlHow isolation precautions help prevent infectionHow airborne, droplet, contact, and standard precautions are usedTuberculosis (TB), an airborne infection that poses a special risk to health care workersDiseases caused by bloodborne pathogens and how the viruses that cause these diseases affect the body
32 Infection Control Infection control: Basic practices designed to decrease the spread of an infection from one person to anotherSee Box 10-1.See Guidelines Box 10-2.Nosocomial infection:An infection acquired while in a health care facility
33 Methods of Infection Control (cont.) Four major methods of infection control:Medical asepsisSurgical asepsisBarrier methodsIsolation precautions
34 Medical AsepsisGoal: To remove pathogens from surfaces, equipment, and the hands of health care workersSee Table 10-2.Prevention: Proper handwashingVisibly soiled hand: Use soap and water.Hands are not visibly soiled: Use alcohol-based hand rub.See Procedure 10-1 and Box 10-2.
35 Surgical AsepsisInvolves sterilization of all instruments and equipment used for procedures that involve entering a person’s body, such as:Surgical proceduresInjectionsInsertion of intravenous (IV) cathetersInsertion of urinary catheters
36 Barrier Methods Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) Best order for putting on PPE:Mask (See Figure 10-6)Protective eyewear (See Figure 10-7)Gowns (See Procedures 10-3 and 10-4)Gloves (See Guidelines Box 10-2 and Procedure 10-2)
37 Isolation Precautions Isolation precautions are guidelines followed to contain the pathogen and limit its exposure to others as much as possible.Transmission-based precautions:Used when a person is known or thought to have an infection that is transmitted in a certain way
38 Barrier Methods: Question Is the following statement True or False?For handwashing to be effective in preventing the spread of infection, it must be performed thoroughly, properly, and consistently.
39 Barrier Methods: Answer TrueRationale: Handwashing is the single most effective method of preventing the spread of infection. For handwashing to be effective in preventing the spread of infection, it must be performed thoroughly, properly, and consistently.
42 Transmission-Based Precautions (cont.) Droplet precautions:Similar to airborne precautionsA mask must be used when you are within 3 feet of the infected person.Pathogens transmitted in droplets:Influenza, whooping cough, strep throat, scarlet fever, rubella, meningitis, pneumonia, diphtheria, and epiglottitis
43 Transmission-Based Precautions (cont.) Contact precautions:Precautions taken when caring for people with diseases caused by pathogens that can be transmitted directly or indirectlySee Procedure 10-7.Contact diseases:Skin and wound infectionsDigestive tract infectionsSome respiratory tract infections
44 Standard Precautions Bloodborne pathogens: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) Hepatitis C virus (HCV)Hepatitis D virus (HDV)Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)See Boxes 10-5 and 10-6.
45 Transmission Based Precautions: Question Is the following statement True or False?Standard precautions are taken only with patients or residents who have an infectious disease.
46 Transmission Based Precautions: Answer FalseRationale: Standard precautions are taken with every patient or resident.
47 OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard Focus on:The standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to protect health care workers from exposure to bloodborne pathogens in the workplaceHow the employer and the employee share the responsibility for maintaining the employee’s safety in the workplace