Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Objectives
n List three examples of common infectious diseases and how to reduce risk of
infection
Chain of Infection
Chain of Infection
n Viral
n Fungal
n Parasitic
2 - The Reservoir
Examples of reservoirs:
n Humans
n Animals
n Water
n Food
n West Nile Virus - when the mosquito bites and feeds on the bird’s blood
n Hepatitis A - stool
-the way the pathogen gets from the reservoir to the new host
Transmission:
Respiratory Droplets
n Do not circulate in air for long time or travel far (mostly < 3 feet)
n Many diseases spread by respiratory droplets; e.g. flu, cold, pertussis, SARS
Droplet Transmission
-Agent is coughed or sneezed out into the air and floats on droplets
Airborne Transmission
n Germs stay suspended in air on small particles
n Vector-borne
n Make sure that you have available for staff and patient use an adequate
supply of:
– surgical masks
– tissues
– trash cans with foot pedals to lift lid for disposing of tissues/masks
Respiratory System
n Inhale germs
Sexual Contact
-A person who can get sick when they are exposed to a disease causing
pathogen
Hand Hygiene
n Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
n Use gloves where contact with body secretions and excretions is taking place
Cough Etiquette
n Flu shot- every year for age >50 and high-risk groups
n Hepatitis B for persons who may contact objects contaminated with blood
n Hepatitis A
What Are Some of the Airborne Diseases of Concern?
n Pertussis
n Tuberculosis
n Influenza
n Common colds
n A bacterial infection
Tuberculosis
Agent
Reservoir
n Humans
Latent TB Infection
Influenza
(Flu)
n Agent
n Virus
n Reservoir
n Humans
n Encourage coughing clients to wash their hands (or use alcohol hand rub)
Recommendations
– Tissues