INFECTIONS

BY P. DHILIP KUMAR
 DEFINITION
An infection is an invasion of the body by a
pathogen.
It can be categories into 2 types:
a)Localized: I t is limited to one area.
Systemic: It can spread through out the body via
blood.
 ETIOLOGY
• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Fungi
• Protozoa
Bacteria can cause disease in 2 ways:
1)They can enter the body and grow inside
human cells.
2)They can secrete toxins and damage the cells.
 TYPES OF BACTERIA
• Cocci- Round cells e.g. Streptococci,
staphylococci.
• Bacilli- Rod shaped e.g. Tetanus, TB
• Vibrio- curved rods e.g. Cholera
Viruses:
Virus can also cause infection. It is a latin word
meaning poison. viruses are not cells they
contain RNA or DNA and a protein envelope.
Viruses can only reproduce in living organism.
Fungi:
Fungi are organism similar to plants but they lack
in chlorophyll. E.g. Candida albicans, oral
candidiasis.
• Protozoa:
• Protozoa are single cell animal like micro organism
protozoa is divided in to 4 categories as
• a) Amebas
• b) ciliates
• c)flagellates
• d) sporozoa
• This normally live in soil and bodies of water when
introduced into the body they cause disease.
 FECTORS AFFECTING INFECTION
• Age: New born and older adults have decreased immune
response against infection and results in many disorders.
• Hereditary: Genetically more susceptible to certain
infection which plays a significant role in body defense
mechanism.
• Level of stress: Stressors elevate blood cortisone levels
which decrease the inflammatory response and leads to
decrease resistance of infection.
• Medical therapies: Certain disease like Nutritional disease
and patient on radiation treatment and chemotherapy are
vulnerable to infection.
 NOSOCOMIAL INFECTION
• Nosocomial infections are infections that are
acquired as a result of exposure to micro
organism in a hospital settings. These infection
typically occur in 72 hrs of hospitalization.
• It can be caused by E.coli, staphylococcus
aureus, Entero bacter aerogens.
• It can be transmitted through patient to patient
through direct contact by health care providers.
THE CDC GUIDELINES CONTAIN TO LEVEL OF
PRECAUTIONS
a)Standard precautions: It is designed for the health
care of all patients in hospitals and health care
facilities regardless of diagnosis or presumed
infection status.
b)Transmission based precautions: It is used for
patients known to be suspected of being infected
with epidemiologically important pathogens that
can be transmitted by air borne or droplet
transmission or by contact with dry skin or
contaminated surfaces.
 Standard precautions applies to
1) Blood
2) All body fluids, secretions and excretions
3) Non intact skin
4) Mucous membrane