Microorganisms and Infection Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is an example of a reservoir host for a pathogen?

Medical gloves

Contaminated water (correct)

Surgical instruments

Clean air

Which of the following correctly defines normal flora?

Microorganisms only found in hospital settings

Microorganisms that reside temporarily in the body

Microorganisms that typically inhabit certain areas without causing harm (correct)

Microorganisms that cause disease

What must occur for an infection to develop according to the Chain of Infection?

Transmission through air is required

Only an infectious agent needs to be present

All six elements of the chain must be present (correct)

A portal of entry is sufficient

What can serve as a portal of exit for pathogens?

Saliva Signup and view all the answers

Which type of microorganism specifically requires oxygen to survive?

Aerobic Signup and view all the answers

What is a common portal of entry for pathogens into a new host?

Mouth Signup and view all the answers

Which one of the following is a characteristic of communicable diseases?

Can be transmitted through indirect means Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a sign of a generalized infection?

Fever and fatigue Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the environment preferred by many microorganisms?

Warm, moist, and dark Signup and view all the answers

What defines a carrier in the context of infection control?

A person capable of transmitting a pathogen without showing symptoms Signup and view all the answers

What role does hydrochloric acid play in natural defense mechanisms?

It destroys pathogens in the stomach. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes acquired immunity?

It develops antibodies after exposure to pathogens. Signup and view all the answers

How can the source of microorganisms be decreased?

By performing proper handwashing. Signup and view all the answers

What is one method to prevent the transmission of microorganisms?

Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of medical asepsis?

To reduce the number of infectious agents Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a localized infection?

Results in an area that is red, swollen, and warm. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to antibodies developed through passive immunity over time?

They become weaker over time. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following practices is considered part of standard precautions?

Hand washing Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of surgical asepsis?

To eliminate pathogens before, during, and after surgery Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main categories of isolation precautions?

Airborne precautions Signup and view all the answers

Which type of body fluid is NOT included under standard precautions?

Sweat Signup and view all the answers

What practice should be avoided or done using a one-handed technique?

Recapping needles Signup and view all the answers

The ultimate objective of using isolation precautions includes reducing what?

Transfer of disease between patients and healthcare workers Signup and view all the answers

What type of asepsis involves procedures to eliminate pathogens from objects and areas?

Sterilization Signup and view all the answers

Which mode of transmission is NOT associated with Hepatitis B virus infection?

Contaminated food Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary route of transmission for Hepatitis C?

Contact with blood or blood products Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant characteristic of Hepatitis D?

Can be prevented by Hepatitis B vaccine Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about HIV is true?

HIV positive individuals do not necessarily have AIDS. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the spread of Tuberculosis (TB)?

Transmitted through airborne particles during coughing and sneezing. Signup and view all the answers

What defines a nosocomial infection?

Infections obtained during hospital stays. Signup and view all the answers

How is Hepatitis A primarily transmitted?

Through food and water contaminated with feces Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is false regarding hepatitis infections?

Hepatitis A and E are blood-borne infections. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Microorganisms

Are very small living plants or animals, most are one-celled
Cannot be seen with the naked eye
Exist everywhere in the environment
Can be aerobic (need oxygen) or anaerobic (do not need oxygen)
Prefer warm, moist, dark environments with food sources

Infection

Establishment and growth of microorganisms on or in a host
Invasion and growth of microorganisms in body tissue that harm the cell tissue

Contagious or Communicable Disease

Can be transmitted directly or indirectly from one person to another

Normal Flora

Microorganisms that don’t cause disease
Commonly reside in a particular environment on or in the body (skin, vagina, and intestines)
Used in food and drug processing
Destroy waste and contribute to environmental comfort
E. coli is normal flora of the gastrointestinal tract, but can become pathogenic if it enters the bladder

Chain of Infection

Consists of six elements that must be present for an infection to develop

Infectious Agent

A pathogen must be present:
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Fungi
- Rickettsia
- Protozoa

Reservoir Host

The pathogen must have a place to live and grow
- Examples of reservoir hosts:
  - Human body
  - Contaminated water or food
  - Animals
  - Insects
  - Birds
  - Dead or decaying organic material
Carrier: human or animal capable of transmitting the pathogen but have no signs of the disease

Portal of Exit

The pathogen must be able to escape from the reservoir host
- Examples:
  - Blood
  - Urine
  - Feces
  - Breaks in the skin
  - Wound drainage
  - Body secretions (saliva, mucus, reproductive fluids)

Route of Transmission

When the pathogen leaves the reservoir host through the portal of exit, it must have a way of being transmitted to a new host
- Examples:
  - Air
  - Food
  - Insects
  - Direct contact with an infected person

Portal of Entry

The pathogen must have a way of entering the new host
- Common ports of entry:
  - Mouth
  - Nostrils
  - Breaks in the skin

Susceptible Host

An individual who has a large number of pathogens invading the body or does not have an adequate resistance to the invading pathogen will get the infectious disease

Signs and Symptoms of Infections

Generalized or systemic: affecting the whole body
- May cause: fever, headache, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, increased pulse and respirations
Localized: affecting one area of the body
- May cause: redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, drainage, pain

Defense Mechanisms

Present to resist infections
- Natural defenses:
  - Cilia: respiratory tract that catch and move pathogens out of the body
  - Coughing and sneezing: to propel pathogens outward
  - Tears: contain chemicals to kill bacteria
  - Hydrochloric acid in the stomach: destroys pathogens
  - Mucous membranes: of the respiratory, reproductive, and digestive systems trap pathogens
  - Fever: kills microorganisms
  - Increase of leukocytes (white blood cells): to destroy pathogens
- Acquired immunity
  - Active immunity: individual develops antibodies, long term
  - Passive immunity: individual injected with antibodies, short term

Breaking the Chain of Infection

Breaking at least one link stops the infectious disease
Practices and techniques used by health care professionals are designed to break the chain

How to Decrease the Source of Microorganisms

Perform proper handwashing
Decontaminate surfaces and equipment using:
- Antiseptics
- Disinfectants
- Sterilization
Avoid contact with patients

How to Prevent the Transmission of Microorganisms

Wear personal protective equipment (PPE):
- Caps
- Gloves
- Gowns
- Masks
- Booties
- Eye protection
Follow isolation procedures when indicated

How to Maximize the Resistance of the Host

Provide good hygiene
Ensure proper nutrition and fluid intake
Decrease stressors that weaken the immune response

Methods of Infection Control

Medical asepsis: reduction in the number of infectious agents
- Good handwashing technique
- Simple cleanliness (dusting, washing floors)
- Disposal of gloves
Sterilization (Surgical Asepsis): complete removal of all microorganisms from equipment and the environment
- Procedures used to prevent contamination before, during, and after surgery using sterile technique
- Sterile field: an area that has been designated as free of microorganisms
Standard Precautions: must be followed to prevent contact with potentially infectious body fluids
- Includes: blood, all body fluids, secretions and excretions except sweat, non-intact skin, mucous membranes, any unidentified body fluids
- Safety measures include:
  - Handwashing
  - Gloving
  - Personal protective equipment (gloves, gowns, facemask, goggles, bags)
  - Avoid needle recapping, if necessary use a one-handed scope technique
  - Bio-spills: gloved must be worn to clean
- Apply Standard Precautions for all patients
Isolation Precautions (Transmission-Based Precautions): system used to reduce the risk of airborne, droplet, and contact transmission
- Used in conjunction with Standard Precautions
- Two main categories:
  - Reducing transfer of disease from patient to worker
  - Reducing transfer of disease from worker to patient
- Airborne Precautions: used for patients with infections that spread through the air
- Droplet Precautions: used for patients with infections that spread through droplets produced when a person coughs, sneezes, or talks
- Contact Precautions: used for patients with infections that can be spread through contact with the patient’s skin or mucous membranes

Some Infectious Diseases:

Hepatitis: inflammation of the liver
- HBV (Hepatitis B Virus infection): major infectious blood-borne occupational hazard for healthcare professionals
  - Can be spread via several routes:
    - Parenteral: blood transfusion, needle sharing by intravenous (IV) drug users, needle stick, or other sharp instrument
    - Mucous membranes: blood contamination of the eye or mouth
    - Sexual contact
    - Perinatal: from infected mother to newborn infant
- Hepatitis A: transmitted through food and water contaminated with feces
- Hepatitis C: primarily spread by contact with blood or blood products
  - Sexual transmission is also possible, but less common
  - No vaccine for HCV
- Hepatitis D: appears only as a coinfection with hepatitis B
  - Hepatitis B vaccines provide protection from HDV infection
- Hepatitis E: transmitted through food and water contaminated with feces
  - Safe and effective vaccines are available but not widely available
- Hepatitis B, C, and D are blood-borne
- Hepatitis A and E are transmitted through contaminated food and water
AIDS-HIV(Human immunodeficiency virus): virus causes AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
- HIV-positive: individuals infected with the virus, is not having AIDS
- AIDS: when the immune system becomes weakened as a result of the virus
- Routes of transfer:
  - Contaminated blood or needles
  - Fluids containing blood
  - Sexual transmission
  - From mother to fetus via the placenta
  - Through breast milk
TB (Tuberculosis): chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium
- Affects the lungs, but can infect any part of the body (spine and bone)
- Is an airborne disease, spread through the air from one person to another
- Spread through coughs, sneezes, speaking, or singing
- Communicable disease

Nosocomial Infections

Nosocomium (Latin for hospital)
Infection caught in a hospital is called a nosocomial infection
Sources of nosocomial infection:
- Medical personnel: by direct skin contact - ingestion - inhalation (e.g., food handler and cooker, surgeons)

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Description

Test your knowledge on microorganisms and their role in infections. This quiz covers topics such as the characteristics of microorganisms, infection types, and the chain of infection. Understand how normal flora contributes to human health and disease.