Communicable Diseases

Communicable diseases are most often the leading cause of illness in our country today
Knowing what type of communicable disease could prevent a health care provider from acquiring or harboring the
disease
COMMON TERMS
Epidemiology science that study the patterns of health and disease, its occurrence & distribution for the prevention
and control of disease.
Sporadic occasional or intermittent occurrence of disease with no specific pattern
Endemic- constant or continuous occurrence of disease
Epidemic sudden increase in # of cases in short period of time, an outbreak
Pandemic worldwide epidemic
Attack rate- is the number of cases developing in a group people who were exposed to the infectious agent
Morbidity rate- calculated as the number of cases of illness given time period divided by the population at risk.
Mortality rate- the percentage of population that dies from disease
Incidence- described as the number new cases in a specific time period in a given population risk way of measuring
the risk of an individual contracting the disease
Prevalence- reflects the number of total existing cases (both old and new) useful to assess the overall impact of the
diseases on society
Outbreak- generally implies a cluster of cases occurring during a brief time interval and affecting a specific
population
The Infectious Process
For an infection to occur a process involving six links or steps must be present
A. if any of the links are missing, the infection will not occur
B. Infection control measures can interrupt the process by eliminating one or more of the steps.
INFECTIOUS DISEASE PROCESS or CHAIN OF INFECTION
Six links form the chain of infection

1. Infectious agent (Microorganism): Bacteria, virus, fungi, etc.

A. Capability of producing an infection depends on:
i. Virulence and number of organisms present
ii. Susceptibility of the host.
iii. Existence of portal of entry
iv. Affinity of host to harbor MO2. Reservoir: Provide survival for organism, People, equipment, water, etc.
A. Appropriate environment for growth and multiplication of microorganism must be present.
B. Reservoir include respiratory, gastrointestinal, reproductive and urinary tracts, and the blood
3. Portal of exit: Allows the microorganism to move from reservoir to host( includes excretions, secretions, skin,
droplets)
4. Route of transmission of MO (five routes)
Types of transmission of pathogens:
Horizontal transmission- from one person to another throughcontact, ingestion of food or water, or via a living agent
such as insect.
Vertical transmission- from a pregnant woman to fetus, or from a mother to her infant duringchildbirth
Three Primary routes (Contact, droplet and airborne)
Two lesser routes (Vehicle and vector)
Primary Routes
A. Contact- most frequent source of nosocomial infection
1. Direct contact- transmission body to body and physical transmisssion (sexual intercourse, kissing or touching)
2. Indirect contact- contact with contaminated intermediate object ( needle, dressing or dirty hands)
B. Droplet- transmission of large particle droplets ( larger the 5 microns) Diphtheria, pertusis, pnuemonia, etc.
C. Airborne- transmission of small particle droplets or residue of 5 microns ( measles, varicella, TB)
Two lesser routes
Common Vehicle: transmission by contaminated items such as food, water or devices.
Vector borne: Mosquitoes, fleas, rats, etc.
Portal of entry: Mucous membrane, gastrointestinal (GI) tract,Genitourinary (GU) tract, Respiratory tract,
Nonintactskin6. Susceptibility of the host

A host who is immunosuppressed, fatigue, malnourished, weakened by other diseases, elderly,stressed, or

hospitalized with wounds, IVs and cathetersare at high risk.
TRIAD OF DISEASE CAUSATION Epidemiologic Triad
1.Host (suscepibility)- intrinsic or extrinsic characteristics
2. Agent
3. Environment- Medium for culture of MO and MOT
Characteristics of an Agent
Infectious dose number of causative agent
Pathogenecity ability to cause the disease
Virulence / Potency extent/severity of toxin quality
Antigenecity ability to stimulate an anti-body response
Viruses- can only multiply in living things as its reservoir can pass through the filters of the body, Blood Brain Barrier
& Placenta Barrier self limiting lasts for a specific length of time with or without treatment