Chain of Infection
To prevent the spread of infection, you must break at least this many links in the chain.
What is one?
These are the smallest infectious agents and cannot be killed by antibiotics.
What are viruses
This policy requires staff to treat every patient's blood as a potential source of infection.
What are standard precautions?
This is considered the number one method for preventing the spread of germs.
What is medical asepsis (handwashing)?
In the word "microbiology," the root micro- indicates that you are studying life forms that are this size.
What is small?
This link represents the "home base" where a pathogen lives, grows, and multiplies.
What is a reservoir?
This is the most effective class of medication for treating Danny’s athlete’s foot.
What is an anti-fungal?
This is the last item of PPE you should put on (don) when heading into a patient's room.
What are gloves?
This color is the international standard for biohazard or sharps containers.
What is red?
If a patient has "pyrexia," the root pyr(o)- indicates they are suffering from this.
What is a fever?
A soccer player's shared towel that spreads a fungal infection is known as this type of inanimate object.
What is a fomite?
his single-celled pathogen is the "Infectious Agent" in raw chicken that causes food poisoning.
What is salmonella or bacteria?
If you notice a hole in your glove during a procedure, you must do these three things immediately.
What are remove gloves, wash hands, and put on new gloves?
This piece of equipment uses steam and pressure to kill all microorganisms, including spores. (High level of heat)
What is an autoclave?
Sally takes a dose of prebiotics, which are described as "nonpathogenic" bacteria. Based on your word parts, this means these bacteria are ___________.
What are "not" capable of causing "disease"?
This specific link is influenced by a person's immune system health.
What is a susceptible host?
Unlike viruses, these single-celled microbes are larger and can often live on locker room surfaces.
What are bacteria?
This specific government created standard precautions in order to stop the spread of infection.
What is the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)?
While sterilization kills everything, this process only kills most pathogens and is used on surfaces.
What is disinfection?
Healthcare workers wear gloves as a form of prophylaxis. Based on the suffix -phylaxis, wearing gloves serves as a method of _____________.
What is protection (prevention)?
Sneezing into the air would be considered this link in the chain for a cold virus.
What is the portal of exit?
This is the link in the chain that is represented by the Salmonella itself.
What is infectious agent?
Besides a gown, a nurse caring for a patient with MRSA on "Contact Precautions" must also wear this.
What are gloves?
When washing hands, you should keep your fingertips pointed in this direction while rinsing.
A patient suffering from an infection after surgery, displays pyorrhea from the incision site. What does the word part "pyo-" indicate is being discharged from the wound?
What is pus?