Infection Control

Questions and Answers

What is the main objective of Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC)?

To treat infectious diseases

To prevent and control infections (correct)

To cure infectious diseases

To diagnose infectious diseases

What is the most important characteristic of an agent in the chain of infection transmission?

Presence of nonhuman host reservoirs

Ability to withstand environmental stress

Ability to produce clinical disease

Ability to multiply (correct)

What is the definition of virulence?

The ability of an agent to enter and survive within a host

The ability of an agent to be transmitted indirectly

The extent to which overt disease is produced in an infected population

The serious disease-producing potential of an agent (correct)

What is the term for the place where an agent lives, with or without replication?

Reservoir Signup and view all the answers

What determines the epidemiological importance of an agent?

Its ability to be transmitted directly or indirectly and cause infection Signup and view all the answers

What is the ranking system used to classify agents by their infectivity, pathogenicity, and virulence?

Nelson and Williams Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of pathogenicity?

The extent to which overt disease is produced in an infected population Signup and view all the answers

What is the first component in the chain of infection transmission?

Agent Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of infectivity?

The ability of an agent to enter and survive within a host Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the combination of the host, agent, and environment in disease epidemiology?

Epidemiologic Triad Signup and view all the answers

What determines the mode of transmission of an agent?

The route of transmission, such as direct or indirect Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Brief History of Epidemiology

John Snow (1815-1858) was a pioneer of Anaesthesia and Epidemiology, who investigated the Broad Street pump cholera outbreak in Soho, London (1854).
The outbreak resulted in 700 deaths linked to a contaminated pump, with the commercial water intake on River Thames linked to the illness.

Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Hundreds of important microorganisms exist, with a variety of clinical manifestations, including symptomatic and asymptomatic infections, and cancer-related infections.
Infections can have different time courses, such as acute, subacute, and chronic, with some transitioning from acute to chronic.
There are different routes of transmission and control methods for infectious diseases.

Epidemiologic Triad of Disease

The triad consists of the Host, Agent, and Environment, which interact to cause disease.

Chain of Infection Transmission

The chain consists of the Agent, Mode of Transmission, and Reservoir.
The Agent is the pathogen, which is the first component in the chain of infection.
Important characteristics of the Agent include its ability to multiply, withstand environmental stress, and have nonhuman host reservoirs.

Agent Characteristics

Infectivity is the ability of the agent to enter, survive, and multiply within the host.
Pathogenicity is the extent to which overt disease is produced in an infected population.
Virulence is the serious disease-producing potential of the agent.

Ranking of Infection by Infectivity, Pathogenicity, and Virulence

A ranking system by Nelson & Williams categorizes infections based on their infectivity, pathogenicity, and virulence, with examples including Smallpox, Measles, and TB.

Description

Learn about the pioneering work of John Snow in epidemiology, including his investigation of the Broad Street pump cholera outbreak in London. Also, explore the epidemiology of infectious diseases and its various clinical manifestations.