Welcome to our discussion!

This week you are asked to answer the

question below:

Discuss among your classmates possible causes of an increased infection

rate, how to handle infection control, and discuss problem solving ideas to
prevent or decrease infection in your healthcare facility. Cite and
reference your resources.

Remember, your initial response should be about 150 words, and TWO
responses to your classmates should be about 75 words. Include TWO
references.

I look forward to our discussion!

Microorganisms are everywhere, they are in the air we breathe, food and
liquids we eat and objects, unless they have been properly sanitized before
contact. Only one group of microorganisms are called infectious because
of their ability to reproduce uncontrollably and affect body functions and
cause infectious diseases. Generally, infectious diseases are caused by
microorganisms that enter the body and multiply in it. The main routes of
entry of infectious microorganisms can be mouth, eyes, nose, wounds,
sexual contact and through contaminated medical devices (WHO, 2020).

Both the respiratory system and the food system are the most exposed to
infectious agents, so it is possible to ingest microorganisms through
contaminated food or by inhalation of contaminated air.

The way microorganisms are transmitted between humans is through

body fluids, including droplets that circulate in the air from someone who
sneezes (Wenzel, 2021). Another way of transmission is through animals
and insects that can carry infectious microorganisms, either by deposition
or by inoculation. The most common insects are mosquitoes and ticks,
although this depends on environmental factors. Likewise,
microorganisms can adhere to medical devices and enter the bloodstream
and cause accidental contamination in which they manage to affect
people's health.

This allows us to infer that the rate of infection is proportional to the level
of exposure to infectious microorganisms. The environmental factors that
favor the reproduction and transport of infectious microorganisms also
affect the rate of infection, and it occurs when there are elements under
which they can reach through commonly used media. The infection rate in
a hospital is high when a greater number of people infected with
respiratory diseases attend, as is the case with Covid, since the air they
breathe is common in many service areas. Therefore, the use of a mask,
antibacterial gel, gloves, etc., tend to be measures to contain the virus in
which the aim is to reduce the rate of infection. As well as these measures,
there are various methods and strategies for the different diseases
transmitted by known infectious agents.
References

WHO (2020). Prevention of hospital-acquired infections. Retrieved from:

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/67350/WHO_CDS_CS
R_EPH_2002.12.pdf

Wenzel, R. (2021). The Impact of Hospital-Acquired Bloodstream

Infections. Retrieved from:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2631709/pdf/11294700
.pdf