Infection

KPP
What is an Infection?
The invasion and multiplication of
microorganisms such as bacteria,
viruses, fungi and parasites that are
not normally present within the
body.
The Chain of Infection
Infectious Agent

Susceptible Host
Reservoir

Portal of Entry Portal of Exit

Mode of Transmission
Infectious Agent
An infectious agent is something that
infiltrates another living thing When an
infectious agent hitches a ride
Bacteria
Can thrive in many different types of environments:
extreme heat or cold, radioactive Larger than viruses.
Reproduce on their own.
Most bacteria cause no harm to people, but there are
exceptions.
Viruses
Viruses are even smaller than bacteria.
Require living hosts - such as people, plants or animals - to multiply.
When a virus enters your body, it invades some of your cells and takes over the cell
machinery, redirecting it to produce the virus.
Reservoirs –
•People
•Animals
•Equipment
•Water
Portal of Exit – “The Way Out”

• Nose or mouth
• Blood
• Skin
• Urine/Feces
Mode of Transmission

The way the Infectious Agent gets from

the reservoir to the new host Droplet
Contact ≤ 3 feet
Direct Indirect

Airborne
Vehicle Vector borne
-Contaminated food, water, -Mosquitoes, flies, ticks
medications, instruments
Portal of Entry: The way the
Infectious Agent gets into the
next host
• Eyes
• Nose
• Mouth
Susceptible Host:Any person who is at risk
of getting an infection from the Infectious Agent
Part of working in Infection Control is figuring out
Infectious Agent

how we can ‘Break

Susceptible Host
the Chain of Infection’
Reservoir

Portal of Entry Portal of Exit

Mode of Transmission
Breaking the Chain of Infection

Healthy Habits
Handwashing
Immunization
Breaking the Chain of Infection
through
Healthy Habits
Making healthy food choices
Being active
Healthy Habits

Getting enough sleep

Managing stress
Handwashing
Immunization
Hand washing:
Can be preformed using alcohol based hand sanitizer (ABHS) or soap and water
When hands are not visibility soiled ABHS is the preferred method of hand
hygiene
When using ABHS there needs to be enough product for your hands to be wet for
15 seconds
Handwashing with soap and water should be done for a minimum of 20 seconds
Areas Most Often Missed
Proper Hand Washing

When to Wash Your Hands :Before handling,

preparing or serving food
After using the washroom
After sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose
Before eating
Immunization
Vaccines contain small parts of specific germs, or inactivated germs. The immune
system reacts to the vaccine to make the proper immunity (memory) cells. When germs
enter the body at a later time, these memory cells kill them before they have a chance to
infect the body.
Non Speifiᴄ defenᴄe ᶆeᴄhanisᶆ of our
body to fight against organisᶆs:
virulence and virulence factors

:virulence factors usually act in combination at various

stages of infection, and a single factor may have several
functions at different stages. Virulence factors are involved
in every step of the infectious process (attachment, invasion,
survival, and damage)
Virulence factors:
Attenuation: