HES 032-Microbiology and

Parasitology College of Nursing

RAD Learning (AY: )

Group Leader: Jesiah Faith P. Haim

Group Members:

Franzelle Q. Geganto

Jannah Leerah R. Gaña

Glorelie L. Arnoco

Venice Angelie B. De Castro

ACTIVITY NO. 9: Infectious Disease

Control and Prevention

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: At the end of the laboratory period, the student should be able to: 1.
Define concepts of infection control and related terminologies.
2. Determine the six components that make up the Chain of Infection.
3. Understand the importance of hand hygiene in healthcare practice.
4. Identify the two tiers of precautions and know when to apply them.

DISCUSSION:
Contagious diseases are spread every day. As a matter of fact, the microbiome has always
been a part of our daily lives. Oftentimes, they are transmitted unknowingly, leaving healthcare
staff unprepared for a possible outbreak. An infection occurs when these microorganisms enter
the body, increase in number and overwhelm immune response. Despite its numerous
presence, only a small portion of microorganisms can cause infection.

Infection control and prevention refer to measures practiced by healthcare personnel to prevent
spread, transmission and acquisition of infection between patients. Infection control in a
healthcare facility is the prevention of the spread of microorganisms from patient to staff, patient
to patient, and vice versa. An infection that is acquired in a hospital or other healthcare facility is
termed as a nosocomial infection, or hospital-acquired infection (HAI). On the other hand,
infectious diseases that humans acquire from animal sources are called zoonotic diseases or
zoonoses.
There are six components in the infectious disease process (also known as the Chain of
Infection).
1. Presence of a pathogen. A pathogen refers to any organism or agent capable of causing
disease.
2. Source of the pathogen. A reservoir is any site where the pathogen can multiply or merely

survive until it is transferred to a host, and may be living hosts or inanimate objects or materials.
Untreated fruits, vegetables, raw meat products, raw milk products, and contaminated water are
common sources of infection.
3. Portal of exit. A route or way for the pathogen to escape from the reservoir.
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4. Mode of transmission. A mode of transmission refers to how a pathogen can be transferred

from one person to another.
5. Portal of entry. A route or way for the pathogen to gain entry into the host. 6. Susceptible
host. A susceptible host is a host that is biologically vulnerable to infection. Babies, children,
immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly are more prone to catch a disease due to their
developing and/or weakened immune system.

Hand hygiene is the single most important practice to reduce the transmission of infections in
healthcare settings, homes and the workplace. This is also the best means of breaking the
Chain of Infection. The term hand hygiene includes hand washing with plain or antimicrobial
containing soap, and use of alcohol and non-alcohol-based products (sprays, gels, rinses,
foams) that do not require the use of water. If your hands are visibly soiled you should always
wash your hands with soap and water. A healthcare worker is advised to wash their hands: •
Before putting gloves on and after taking them off
• Before preparing or eating food
• Before preparing medication
• After using the toilet
• After sneezing or coughing into hands
• After contact with objects that might be contaminated
• After any accidental exposure to body fluids, mucous membranes, or skin with cuts and sores
• After handling an animal or animal waste
• Before and after treating a cut or wounds

There are two tiers of precautions to prevent transmission of infectious agents: Standard
Precautions and Transmission-based Precautions.

Standard Precautions are a set of infection control practices used to prevent transmission of
diseases that can be acquired by contact with blood, body fluids, non intact skin & mucus
membrane.

Standard Precautions should be used in the care of all patients in all healthcare, office and
home settings, regardless of the suspected or confirmed presence of an infectious agent. It is
designed to protect people from diseases carried by the blood and other body fluids. They are
called standard because they apply to everyone. Standard Precautions include a group of
infection prevention practices that apply to everyone, regardless of suspected or confirmed
infection status.

Standard Precaution includes practices of Hand washing Personal protective equipment,

Sterilization, Decontamination, Cleaning, and Waste Disposal.

Transmission-based Precautions are always used along with Standard precautions.

Transmission-based precautions are for clients who are known or suspected to be infected.
There are three types of transmission-based precautions: Contact Precautions, Droplet
Precautions and Airborne Precautions.

To carry out Contact Precautions, practice strict hand washing after removal of gloves and after
removing all other personal protective equipment used for patient care. Equipment should not
be shared (unless it is properly disinfected) between patients. Examples of patient designated
equipment include, but are not limited to: electronic thermometer, blood pressure cuff, portable
manometer, stethoscope, etc.

Droplets infected with microorganisms can cause infections, and as such, healthcare
practitioners need to apply Droplet Precautions. Unlike airborne microorganisms, droplet
microorganisms are not carried very far because droplets are heavy. Infections that can be
spread through droplets such as pneumonia, influenza, meningitis, and mumps require droplet
transmission-based precautions. Transmission via large droplets requires close contact (within
3 feet or less) between the source patient and the susceptible individual. Droplets (due to their
large size) do not remain suspended in air and travel short distances, three feet or less.
Airborne Precautions are applied to infections that can be spread through the air, such as the
likes of Tuberculosis, Chickenpox, Measles (Rubella), and Shingles. Airborne microorganisms
are found in tiny droplet nuclei which are much smaller than droplets, and are spread by
coughing, sneezing, talking, or breathing. Droplet nuclei are so small that they can travel long
distances, remain in the air for a long time, and are tiny and light enough to travel through a
ventilation system.

References:
Engelkirk, P. G., & Duben-Engelkirk, J. L. (2015). Burton’s microbiology for the Health Sciences. Wolters Chain of
infection. Ottawa Public Health. (n.d.). https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/professionals-and
partners/chain-of-infection.aspx
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About hand hygiene for patients in healthcare settings. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Infection control basics.
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STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. Define the following terminologies in Infection Control.

TERMINOLOGY DEFINITION

Nosocomial Infection A nosocomial infection is an infection you get

while you're in the hospital for another reason.
It's also called a hospital-acquired infection or a
health-care associated infection.‌Patients and
healthcare professionals bring germs inside
hospitals and pass them to each other.
(WebMD, 2024)

Zoonoses According to WHO, A zoonosis is any disease or

infection that is naturally transmissible from
vertebrate animals to humans. There are over
200 known types of zoonoses. Zoonoses
comprise a large percentage of new and existing
diseases in humans. Some zoonoses, such as
rabies, are 100% preventable through
vaccination and other methods.

Chain of Infection The spread of an infection within a community is

described as a “chain,” several interconnected
steps that describe how a pathogen moves
about. Infection control and contact tracing are
meant to break the chain, preventing a pathogen
from spreading.

Emerging infectious diseases are those whose

incidence in humans has increased in the past
two decades or are a threat to increase in the
near future. These diseases, which can rapidly
spread across national boundaries and
communities, may challenge the ability of public
health systems to prevent and control the
spread of the disease, especially in
resource-limited countries and regions.
 The spread of infection can be described as a
chain with six links:

Infectious agent (pathogen)

Reservoir (the normal location of the pathogen)
Portal of exit from the reservoir
Mode of transmission
Portal of entry into a host
Susceptible host
(https://www.atrainceu.com)

Standard Standard precautions are meant to reduce the

Precautions risk of transmission of bloodborne and other
pathogens from both recognized and
unrecognized sources. They are the basic level
of infection control precautions which are to be
used, as a minimum, in the care of all patients.
(https://www.who.int)

Hand Hygiene Hand hygiene is a major component of standard

precautions and one of the most effective
methods t prevent transmission of pathogens
associated with health care. In addition to hand
hygiene, the use of personal protective
equipment should be guided by risk assessment
and the extent of contact anticipated with blood
and body fluids, or pathogens.
(https://www.who.int)
2. Illustrate the Chain of Infection.

3. Why is hand hygiene important as healthcare practitioners? Elaborate your answer.

Hand hygiene is crucial for healthcare practitioners to prevent healthcare-associated infections

(HAIs), reduce disease transmission, and mitigate antibiotic resistance. It protects patients and
healthcare workers, enhances patient trust, and maintains the facility's reputation. Adherence to
hand hygiene guidelines is cost-effective, reducing treatment costs and hospital stays.
4. Identify which Transmission-based Precautions will apply on the following infections:
Contact Precautions
Droplet Precautions
Airborne Precautions

INFECTION TRANSMISSION-BASED
PRECAUTION

Methicillin Resistant Contact Precautions

Staphylococcus aureus

Herpes Contact Precautions

Shingles Contact Precautions

Mumps Droplet Precautions

Tuberculosis Airborne Precautions

Influenza Droplet Precautions

Scabies Contact Precautions