Lecture 5.2 - Infection Prevention

Infection Prevention

• Infection prevention is the discipline concerned with preventing nosocomial or healthcare-associated infections, focusing on evidence-based practices and procedures to reduce the risk of transmission of microorganisms to healthcare providers, patients, and visitors.

Sources of Infection

• No specific information provided in the text.

Route of Transmission

• No specific information provided in the text.

Basic Reproduction Number (Ro)

• Ro is the average number of cases one case generates over the course of its infectious period in an otherwise uninfected, non-immune population.
• If Ro > 1, there will be an increase in cases.
• If Ro = 1, the number of cases will remain stable.
• If Ro < 1, there will be a decrease in cases.

Factors Determining Transmissibility

• Infectious dose is the number of microorganisms needed to cause infection, which varies by microorganism and immunity of the potential host.

Preventing Infections in Healthcare

• Key principles include:
  • Distancing/separation/restriction of movement and of visitors
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): gloves, gowns, masks, eye protection
  • Hand hygiene
  • Cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization
  • Waste management
  • Staff health management: exposure prophylaxis, health monitoring (occupational health)
  • Discharge of patients
  • Care of the deceased

Goals of Infection Prevention

• Prevent the spread of infections from:
  • Patient-to-patient
  • Patients to healthcare providers
  • Healthcare providers to patients
  • Healthcare providers to healthcare providers and to visitors and others in the healthcare environment
• Consequently, this will:
  • Protect patients from HAIs, resulting in:
    • Improved survival rates
    • Reduced morbidity associated with infections
    • Shorter length of hospital stay
    • A quicker return to good health

The 4 P's of Infection Prevention and Control

• Patient: improved health/immunity
• Pathogens (and/or vector): reduction or eradication
• Practice: behavioural change; protective equipment
• Place: environment

Infection Control Considerations

• Patient:
  • Improved health/immunity
  • Specific measures: MRSA screens, disinfectant body wash
• Pathogens (and/or vector):
  • Reduce/eradicate pathogen: antibacterials, disinfectants, decontamination, sterilization
  • Reduce/eradicate vector: eliminate vector breeding sites
• Practice:
  • Infection control at all levels: awareness, policies, training, leadership, engagement
• Place:
  • Ensuring all premises delivering healthcare are infection control compliant
  • Building, wards, consulting rooms, communal areas, toilets, furnishing, flooring, air conditioning/heating system

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• PPE is a barrier between healthcare workers and an infectious agent from the patient, reducing the risk of transmitting micro-organisms from healthcare workers to patient(s) or vice versa.
• Examples of PPE: gloves, aprons, long sleeved gowns, surgical masks, eye goggles, face visors, and respirator masks.
• PPE may be used by patients' family/visitors in certain situations.

Prevention of Transmission of Microorganisms

• No specific information provided in the text.

Inoculation Accidents

• No specific information provided in the text.

Handwashing Technique

• No specific information provided in the text.

Preventing Patient to Patient Transmission of Infection

• Halting patient to patient transmission:
  • Physical barriers
  • Isolation of infected patients
  • Protection of susceptible patients