CHAIN OF INFECTION

 The transmission of an illness within a population is referred to as a "chain," which is

made up of numerous interrelated phases that define how a pathogen spread.

 6 links of the chain:

1. Infectious Agent (pathogen) In addition to bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites are
included.
 The virulence of these infections is determined by their quantity, potency, capacity to
enter and survive in the body, and vulnerability of the host.
 The viruses are intracellular parasites, which means they can replicate only within a
living cell. Certain viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis B and C, can enter the body and
persist for years before symptoms appear.

2. Reservoir
 An infectious agent's reservoir is the environment in which the agent generally lives,
matures, and multiplies. Humans, animals, and the environment are all part of the
reservoir. The reservoir may or may not be the origin of an agent's transmission to a
host.
 People, insects, birds, and other creatures are examples of animate reservoirs. Soil,
water, food, excrement, intravenous fluid, and equipment are all examples of
inanimate reservoirs.
 3. Portal of exit
 is the mechanism through which a pathogen leaves a reservoir. The portal of exit
for a human reservoir can include blood, respiratory secretions, and anything
departing through the gastrointestinal or urine tracts.
 Once a virus has departed the reservoir, it requires a route of transmission to
transmit itself into a host. This is performed by entering the host through a
receptive gate of entry. Transmission can occur by direct touch, indirect contact,
or through the air.

4. Mode of transmission
 is the method through which the infectious agent can be transmitted (through direct or
indirect contact, ingestion, or inhalation)
- Airborne Transmission
 Aerosols are tiny (5 m) particles that evaporate quickly in the air, leaving behind
droplet nuclei that are small and light enough to float in the air for hours
(Klompas et al., 2020). When the remnant of evaporated droplets from an
infected individual remains in the air long enough to be conveyed to the
respiratory tract of a vulnerable host, airborne transmission occurs.
 SARS-CoV-2 transmission by air is known to occur during aerosol-generating
medical procedures. The scientific community has been debating and reviewing
whether SARS-CoV-2 may spread by aerosols in the absence of aerosol-generating
techniques, particularly in indoor environments with poor ventilation (WHO, 2020,
Jun 9).
- Indirect Contract
 Indirect contact covers both vehicle-borne and vector-borne interaction. A vehicle is
an inanimate go-between, an intermediate between the doorway of exit from the
reservoir and the portal of admission into the host.
 Inanimate things that can spread illness include cooking or dining utensils,
handkerchiefs and tissues, filthy laundry, doorknobs and handles, and surgical tools
and dressings. Blood, serum, plasma, water, food, and milk are all used for
transportation.

5. Portal of entry
 is the method through which an infectious agent can enter a new host (through broken
skin, the respiratory tract, mucous membranes, and catheters and tubes)
 Pathogens frequently enter the host's body by the same method they left the reservoir,
e.g., airborne viruses from one person's sneeze might enter through the nose of
another.
6. Susceptible Host
 The final link in the chain of infection is a susceptible host, someone at risk of
infection.
 When a pathogen enters the body of a person with a healthy immune system, the
infection does not develop spontaneously. When a virulent pathogen penetrates an
immune-compromised host, the infection usually ensues.
 Host factors that influence the outcome of an exposure include the presence or
absence of natural barriers, the functional state of the immune system, and the
presence or absence of an invasive device.