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Download Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL Alexis Young Infection
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1 Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL Alexis Young Infection Control Bryant Stratton College 2 Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL Chain of infection The chain of infection includes several steps that must occur in order for the spread of infectious diseases to begin. The steps taken place while the infectious diseases are being spread is known as the “infection cycle”. Steps in order includes the infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, means of transmission, portal of entry, and the susceptible host. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014). The infectious agents are microorganisms known as viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, and rickettsia. In order for an infections to occur one of the microorganisms must be present. The reservoir can be people, equipment, food, water, animal and insects. The reservoir is known as the source of a pathogen, or were the infection is located. The portal of exit may include secretions, excretions, respiratory droplets and blood/body fluids. The portal of exit is when the infectious agent leaves the reservoir in order to affect another person. The means of transmission includes indirect contact, direct contact, bloodborne, airborne or ingestion. The means of transmission is ways in which microorganisms travel from one place to another depending on the characteristics of the microorganism. The portal of entry includes non-intact skin, mucous membranes, and systems such as the reproductive, digestive, and respiratory. The portal of entry are common entrance sites to the human body. The susceptible host includes individuals who are elderly, frail, trauma, chronic disease and immunosuppressed. Individuals who does not have the ability to resist colonization are known as the susceptible host’s. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014). 3 Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL Asepsis Asepsis is the act of protecting people, places and things against infection caused by pathogenic microorganisms. It is extremely important that individuals practice the use of asepsis within the medical field. Asepsis within the medical field is well needed because it help prevents employees, patients, and visitors from passing infectious agents from way place to another which can cause individuals to become ill or those who are already ill to become much more severely ill then before, in some circumstances which can lead to death. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014). Infection Control Measures in the Medical Laboratory Infection control measures in the medical laboratory are methods to eliminate or reduce the transmission of infectious microorganisms. Patients with infections and infectious disease regularly comes to the medical office for treatment. Medical Assistants goes from patient to patient performing clinical procedures, such as taking vital signs. Medical Assistants must follow proper measures such as hand-washing, hands should be washed after every encounter with a patient, Sanitization, Sanitization should be used before and after using equipment or laboratory rooms, and proper handling of medical waste, medical waste should be placed in red bags and into its specific medical waste bin. Medical Assistants avoids infections in the lab by properly washing instruments that would be used during specific procedures. Also by sanitizing/disinfecting the laboratory room. . (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014). 4 Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL Infectious Agents Infectious agents are microorganisms that can be grouped into five classifications. The infectious agent is the pathogen responsible for a specific infectious disease. The infectious agents includes bacteria, virus, parasites, and rickettsiae. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014). The bacteria microorganisms are microscopic living organisms that are usually on celled and can be found everywhere. Bacteria can be dangerous, such as when they cause infections. An infection bacteria can cause is a furuncle which causes a disease called staphylococcal infection, also known as abscesses. . (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014). The virus microorganism are also microscopic organisms that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host. Viruses can also be dangerous and in some instances can lead to death depending on its infection. An infection that a virus causes is a liver infection. A disease associated with a liver infection can be Hepatitis A,B,C,D or E. (Novozymes, 2015). Parasites are microorganisms that lives within or on another organism, which is its host. Parasites benefits by deriving nutrients at the host’s expense. Parasites are often harmful to the body and can cause diseases such as Malaria. Malaria infectious agent is Plasmodium. 5 Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL Rickettsiae is a microorganism of any group of very small bacteria. Like viruses many rickettsiae can only grow inside living cells, and usually transmitted by mites, ticks, or lice. Rickettsiae causes disease by damaging blood vessels in various tissues and organs. A disease rickettsiae cause is typhus. Typhus infectious agent is Rickettsia prowazekii. (MerkManuals, 2015). Growth of Microorganisms For microorganisms to survive a suitable environment must be available to them or they will die. Growth requirements for microorganisms includes, moisture, nutrition, temperature of approximately 98.6 degrees F, darkness, time, or neutral or slightly alkaline pH. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014). Disinfecting and Sanitizing are both methods of removing potentially harmful bacteria that might not be visible to the naked eye. However in depth disinfections are products that kills pathogens. Sanitizations are agents removes debre. Sanitization is a chemical process that lessens and even kills germs on surfaces to make them safe for contact. Sterilization is a term referring to any process that eliminates, removes or kills all forms of life, including transmissible agents, such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spore forms, etc. (Lindh, Pooler, Tamparo, Dahl. Morris, 2014). Put It All Together Lisa is a Medical Assistant who works at Cityville Medical Office in Fancytown NY. Lisa works 7am-3pm Monday through Friday. Lisa responsibility as a medical assistant is to maneuver from patient to patient collecting information such as vital signs from patients who 6 Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL feel ill or are ill. On May 1st 2015 the office appears to be much more busy than normal. Many patients coming into the office are complaining of a fever, sneezing, inflammation, diarrhea, or vomiting. While taking vital signs and tending to the patients Lisa is also using the act of asepsis to avoid contamination to non-ill individuals and to reduce the spread of infection within the medical office. Lisa is constantly washing her hands, using personal protective equipment such as gloves and properly exposing of waste. Lisa also tries her best to separate the sick individuals from the non-sick individuals. Sanitization of toys and chairs and the disinfectant of medical rooms are also taking place within Cityville medical office. Two days later Lisa notices she isn’t feeling well. Lisa complains to her boss of a headache, runny nose and diarrhea. Later that day Lisa was diagnosed with a nosocomial virus, known as a Urinary Tract infection. Nosocomial is an hospital acquired infection which may have been transmitted to Lisa while performing her work procedures. However nosocomial infections can be spread through normal floral transmissions during an illness, opportunistic pathogens transmitted during debilitated conditions or through procedures. If sanitization and disinfection was absent within the office, more employees, visitors, or patients came become extremely ill and encounter diseases by contracting microorganism within the facility. 7 Running Head: INFECTION CONTROL Reference Page Lindh, W., Pooler, M., Tamparo, C., Dahl, B., & Morris, J. (2014). Delmars comprehensive medical assisting administrative and clinical competencies (5th ed.). Clifton Park, New York: Stephen Helba. Overview of Rickettsial Infections. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/rickettsiae-and-relatedorganisms/overview-of-rickettsial-infections What are microorganisms? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.novozymes.com/en/about-us/ourbusiness/what-are-microorganisms/Pages/default.aspx