Nosocomial infection - > -infections that occur during hospital admission
Iatrogenic infection - > Infections that occurred during medical procedures such as during
inserting a urinary catheter, infections acquired specifically from treatment
Surgical Asepsis - > No microorganisms present, including spores
Medical Asepsis - > No harmful organisms present, however other microorganisms, such
as spores, remain
No pathological microorganisms
Disinfection - > No disease causing microorganisms
Sterilization - > Completely sterile, no microbes
Infection cycle - > -Components
-Infectious agent
-Reservoir
-Portal of exit
-Means of transmission
-Portal of entry
-Susceptible host
-The key to stopping infection is cutting the "chains" that link each step
Infectious agent - > -The "bad guy"
-Bacteria: classified based on gram content in cell wall, shape, oxygen use
-Bacteria are most prevalent in hospital settings
-Virus: smallest agent, do not respond to antibiotics, cause common cold
-Fungi (yeast and mold:plantlike organisms found in the elements (air, water, soil, etc),
normally the body can fight them off unless it is immunosuppressed
,Factors affecting an organism's ability to produce disease - > -Number of microorganisms:
more of the organism, or greater numbers are more likely to cause disease
-Virulence: the ability of an organism to cause disease
-Competence of the immune system: more developed immune systems can fight off more
complex/virulent diseases
-Length and intimacy of contact: kissing and exchange of body fluids more likely to cause
infection than being in the same room
Reservoir - > - Where bad guy lives
- Different types of reservoirs:
-Humans: carriers
- Animals: vectors
- Soil: vehicles
- Food, water, and milk also vehicles
- Inanimate objects: vehicles
Portal of Exit - > -The "door to the bad guy's house"
-Any opening to the body
-Respiratory: nose, and mouth
-Gastrointestinal: mouth, anus
-Urinary tract/genitals
-Breaks in skin, blood and tissue contact
Means of Transmission - > Different types of contact:
Direct contact: close proximity between supsectibel host and a carrier, touching, kissing,
sexual intercourse
Indirect contact:
Vectors
Vehicles
Droplets
Airborne route
,vectors - > nonhuman organisms like mosquitoes, ticks, etc.
Vehicles - > inanimate objects
Droplets - > greater than 5 micrometers far, CANNOT TRAVEL far
Airborne - > less than 5nm - really small and travels far
Portal of Entry and defense - > -Inflammatory:
Nonspecific immunity
Fever, swelling, redness
-Immune response:
Antibody-antigen reaction
- Body's normal flora (colonization resistance)
- Skin, gastrointestinal, skin and gastrointestinal system have different defense to keep
colonization of different microorganisms from occurring like enzymes and pH
Susceptible Host - - > - Factors that impact/aid in defense:
- Intact skin and mucous membranes
- Normal pH levels - slightly acidic skin, slightly alkaline blood, normal pH is 7, Saliva is 6.5-
7
- WBCs
- Age, sex, race, heredity factors
- Immunization
- Natural or acquired
- Fatigue, climate, and general health status
- Stress
- Use of indwelling devices
White Blood Cells - > - Normal: 4,500-10,000 mcL is normal
- Low = leukopenia
, - A result of chemotherapy and immunosuppression
- Leukemia: too many blood cells that often do not function correctly
Stages of infection - > - Incubation: organisms growing, no signs and symptoms
- Prodromal: most infectious, vague and non-specific symptoms
- Full stage- specific signs and symptoms
- Convalescent period: recovery period
Question: In which of the following stages of infection is the patient most contagious? - >
Prodromal Stage
Lab data indicating infection - > - Elevated WBC count above 10,000/mcL
- Increase in specific kinds of WBCs
- Elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- NORMAL: 0-15mm/hr for males, 0-20mm/hr for females
- If person is infected, time for blood to settle will increase
Normal ESR - > 0-15mm/hr for males, 0-20mm/hr for females
Health Care associated Infections (HAI's) - > Nosocomial infection=originates in hospital
Iatrogenic=occurs during procedure
Not all nosocomial are iatrogenic
Factors Predisposing Patients to Nosocomial Infections - > Use of invasive medical
devices
Urinary catheter or venous access catheter
Resistant organisms - Nosocomial infections - > - Clostridium difficile (C.Diff) - Colitis
- Infection and inflammation of the colon
- Diarrhea and stomach ache
- Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) - Skin
- Vancomycin intermediate S. aureus (VISA)