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Questions and Answers
What term describes the illnesses caused by an infectious agent transmitted to a host?
What term describes the illnesses caused by an infectious agent transmitted to a host?
Which component of the Epidemiologic Triangle represents the organism that causes disease?
Which component of the Epidemiologic Triangle represents the organism that causes disease?
What is the term for the ability of an infectious agent to stimulate an immune response?
What is the term for the ability of an infectious agent to stimulate an immune response?
Which of the following is considered a common portal of exit for infectious agents?
Which of the following is considered a common portal of exit for infectious agents?
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What is meant by 'mode of transmission' in the chain of infection?
What is meant by 'mode of transmission' in the chain of infection?
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Which term refers to the ability of an infectious agent to produce disease in those infected?
Which term refers to the ability of an infectious agent to produce disease in those infected?
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What does the term reservoir refer to in the context of infectious diseases?
What does the term reservoir refer to in the context of infectious diseases?
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Which of these is NOT a characteristic of virulence?
Which of these is NOT a characteristic of virulence?
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What type of transmission occurs when infection agents travel less than three feet from an infected person to a healthy individual?
What type of transmission occurs when infection agents travel less than three feet from an infected person to a healthy individual?
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Which mode of transmission involves disease-causing agents spreading through physical contact?
Which mode of transmission involves disease-causing agents spreading through physical contact?
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What term describes the activities that reduce morbidity and mortality to an acceptable level within a locality?
What term describes the activities that reduce morbidity and mortality to an acceptable level within a locality?
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Which transmission mode involves agents that grow inside living organisms like animals or arthropods?
Which transmission mode involves agents that grow inside living organisms like animals or arthropods?
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What is the definition of eradication in the context of communicable diseases?
What is the definition of eradication in the context of communicable diseases?
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Which of the following is used in addition to standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infections?
Which of the following is used in addition to standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infections?
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What term is used to describe the path by which an infectious agent enters a susceptible host?
What term is used to describe the path by which an infectious agent enters a susceptible host?
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What type of precautions are based on risk assessment and used for all patient care?
What type of precautions are based on risk assessment and used for all patient care?
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Study Notes
Communicable Disease
- Communicable Diseases are spread through infectious agents or toxic products that are passed directly or indirectly to a person, animal, or inanimate object.
- Contagious Diseases spread through direct physical contact.
- Infectious Diseases are spread indirectly through contaminated food, fluids, objects, airborne inhalation, or vector organisms. These often require a break in the skin or mucous membranes.
- The Epidemiologic Triangle is a model that describes the components of a disease outbreak: Agent - Host - Environment
Chain of Infection
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The chain of infection is a logical sequence of factors that are essential for the development of communicable diseases. This is a key concept in preventing disease spread.
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Causative Agent is the organism capable of producing disease. Characteristics of the agent:
- Pathogenicity: the ability of the agent to cause disease in an infected person.
- Infectivity: the ability of the agent to infect large numbers of people.
- Virulence: the ability of the agent to cause disease in those infected.
- Antigenicity: the ability of the agent to stimulate an immune response.
- Toxigenicity: the ability of the agent to produce toxins that cause illness.
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Reservoir is the environment or object where an organism survives or multiplies. Examples include humans, animals, plants, water, soil, inanimate objects.
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Portal of Exit is the way an agent leaves its reservoir. Common exits include respiratory, GU, skin, mucous membranes, GI tract.
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Mode of Transmission is the means by which the agent travels from the reservoir to the susceptible host.
- Airborne Transmission occurs when infectious agents spread through the air more than three feet.
- Droplet Transmission is the spread of infectious agents in droplets of fluids that travel less than three feet.
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Contact Transmission:
- Direct: person to person physical contact.
- Indirect: transfer through contaminated objects, surfaces, or substances.
- Vector Transmission occurs when living organisms like animals or arthropods transmit disease-causing agents to humans after the agents have grown inside the vector organism.
- Vehicle Transmission: occurs when disease-causing agents are found in inanimate objects, substances, or materials that act as transport agents to infect healthy individuals.
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Portal of Entry is the way an agent invades a susceptible host. This is usually the same route as the portal of exit.
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Susceptible Host: Individual factors that increase the risk of acquiring an infection.
Disease Control
- Control: Aims to reduce morbidity and mortality of a disease within a specific area.
- Eradication: Aims to permanently eliminate a disease globally.
- Elimination: Focuses on reducing prevalence to zero in a specific region, with the goal of removing it as a public health concern.
Infection Control Practices
- Standard Precautions: Used for all patient care. Based on risk assessment to use common-sense practices and personal protective equipment (PPE).
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Transmission-Based Precautions: Used in addition to standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infections.
- Airborne Precautions: Used to prevent the spread of infectious agents that are smaller than 5 μm.
- Droplet Precautions: Used to prevent the spread of infectious agents that are larger than 5μm. These agents can be spread through respiratory droplets.
- Contact Precautions: Used to prevent the spread of infectious agents spread through direct or indirect contact.
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Description
This quiz focuses on the concepts surrounding communicable diseases, their transmission, and the chain of infection. You'll explore the definitions of various disease types, the epidemiologic triangle, and the factors involved in the development of infectious diseases. Test your knowledge on how diseases are spread and prevented.
