What is an example of an illness that requires droplet precautions?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for examples of illnesses that necessitate droplet precautions in a healthcare setting. Droplet precautions are typically used to prevent the spread of infections that are transmitted through respiratory droplets when a person coughs, sneezes, or talks.
Answer
Influenza, pertussis, adenovirus, rhinovirus, Neisseria meningitidis, and group A streptococcus (for the first 24 hours of antimicrobial therapy)
Examples of illnesses that require droplet precautions include influenza, pertussis, adenovirus, rhinovirus, Neisseria meningitidis, and group A streptococcus during the first 24 hours of antimicrobial therapy.
Answer for screen readers
Examples of illnesses that require droplet precautions include influenza, pertussis, adenovirus, rhinovirus, Neisseria meningitidis, and group A streptococcus during the first 24 hours of antimicrobial therapy.
More Information
Droplet precautions are needed for infections spread by large respiratory droplets. This often includes illnesses spread by coughing, sneezing, and talking.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing droplet precautions with airborne precautions. They both involve respiratory droplets, but airborne precautions are for smaller, aerosolized particles that can linger in the air longer.
Sources
- Transmission-Based Precautions - CDC - cdc.gov
- Transmission-Based Precautions - Virginia Department of Health - vdh.virginia.gov
- Precautions, Bloodborne, Contact, and Droplet - StatPearls - NCBI - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
