Nature of Infection

An Infection is the invasion of a susceptible host by Pathogens or Micro Orgasm,

resulting in disease. The principle infecting agents are bacteria, viruses, fungi & Protozoa

It is important to know that difference between an infection & colonization. If a micro

orgasm is present or invades a host, grows & multiplies but doesn’t cause disease or
infection result only if the pathogens multiply & alert normal tissue function. If the
infection disease can be transmitted directly from one person to another, it is considered a
contagious or communicable disease.

Chain of Infection:
Development of an Infection occurs in a cyclical process that depends on the perpose of the
following elements

1. The Infection agents or Pathogen, reservoir for pathogen grow, portal of exit from the
reservoir mode of transmission or vehicle, portal of entry & a susceptible host.
2. Infection develops if this chain stays intact

Infections Agent:
The development of an infection disease depends on the number of organisms present, virulence,
or ability to produce disease. Their ability to enter & survive in the host & the susceptibility of
the host.

Reservoir:
Place where micro orgasm can survives, multiply & await transfer to a susceptible host are called
reservoir.
Common Pathogens & some Infections or Disease they Produce
 Organism Major Reservoir Major Diseases
(Bactaria)
1 Staphylocouus Skin, hairs, upper Wound infection, Abscess, Phonumom,
aurous respiratory cellulites, food poisoning
2 Staphylocouus Skin I/V line infection, Becteremia, Endocardities
epidermidis
3 Streptococues Skin, upper Wound Infection, Impetigr Strepthroat, puperal
Pyogenes Respiratory Perianal sepsis
4 Escherichia Colon Gestrointeritis, Urinary Tract infection
Coli
5 Psedomonas Water, soil Pneumoina, wound or burn infaction urinary
aeruginosa infection
6 Neisseria Genitourinary Tract, Sexually transmitted desease, Pelviic
Gonorrhoeae Rectum, Mouth inflammatory disease. Septic arthritis
7 Chlomydia Genito urinary tract, Sexually transmitted disease (Chlamydia) Pelvic
Trachonats Rectum Inflammatory disease, Neonatal eye & lung
infections
8 Mycobacteriu Droplet nuclei from Tuberculosis
m Tuberculosis lungs
Virus
1 Hepatitis A Feces Hepatitis A
2 Hepatitis B Blood & some body fluid Hepatitis B
3 Hepatitis C Blood Hepatitis C
4 Herpes Simplex Lesions of mouth, strin, Cold sores, herpetic whit low, sexually
genitals transmitted diseases
5 Vercelli Zoster Vesicle fluid, Respiratory Vercelli (chicken pox) Primary Infection
Virus tract Infection Herpes Zoster reactivation
Fungi
1 Camdida Skin, mouth Bactraemia, Prieumonia, wound Infection
albicans Genital Tract
Protozoa
1 Plasmodium Blood, Infected female Malaria
Falciparum Anrp helps Mosquito

Chain of Infection
Chain of Infection
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Portal of Exit:
After Micro Organisms find a site in which to grow & multiply they must find a portal of exit.
Microorganisms can exit through a variety of sites such as skin and mucoces membranes
respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive tract blood.

Mode of transmission
Routes & Means
Direct Contact:
Person to person (Fecal, oral) or physical contact between source & susceptible host e.g.
touching client

Indirect Contact:
Personal Contact of susceptible host with contarninated inanimate objects e.g. needles or sharps
dressing

Droplet:
Large particles that trevell up to 3 feet and come in contact with susceptible host e.g. coughing
sneezing, talking

Air:
Droplet nuclei suspended in air. e.g. coughing sneezing, talking

Vehicles:
Contaminated Items

Water

Drugs, solutions

Blood
Food (improperly Handled, stored cooked)

Vector:
External mechanical Transfer (files)

Internal Transmission such as Parasitic Condition between Vector & host Such as

Mosquito

Tick

Flea

Defenses against Infection

The body has normal defenses against infection. Normal Flora, body system defenses &
inflammation are non specific defenses & inflammations are non specific defenses that protect
against micro organism, regardless of prior exposure. This immune system is composed of
separate cell & molecules. Some of which fight specific pathogens.

Normal Flora:
The body usually consists normal flora or large number of micro organism. That reside on the
surface & deep layer of skin, sliva & oral mucosa & in intestinal wall. Norma flora don’t cause
disease but instead help to maintain health.

The number of flora maintain a sensitive balance with other micro organism to prevent infection.
Any factor that disrupts this balance place a person at serious risk for infection.

e.g. The use of broad spectrum antibiotics for the treatment of infevtion can change normal
bacterial flora, leading to super infection. Micro Organism resistant to antibiotics can then cause
serious infection.

Body System Defenses:

Micro organism can easily enter the skin, Respiratory tract and gastrointestinal Tract.
These body system also have unique defenses against infections physiologically suited to their
structure and function. Any condition that improves an organ’s specialized defenses increase
susceptibility to infection.

Inflammation:
The body cellular Response to injury or infection is inflamatiom. Inflammation is a protective
vascular reaction that delivers fluid, blood products & nutrients to interstitial tissue in an area
injury.

When Inflammation becomes system signs and symptoms may include fever, leufrocytosis,
malaise, anorexia, Nausea, Vomiting & lymph node enlargement.

The Inflammatory response may be triggered by many physical agents, Chemical agents, Micro
organisms.

Immune Response:
When a foreign material (antigen) Enters the body a series of responses changes the body’s
biological map cup. The next time that antigen enters the body, the antigen is either neutralized
destroyed or eliminated

Prevention from Infection:

Health Promotion:
Good Infection control begins with prevention. Review with clients and their families preventive
measures that strengthen the host’s defenses, such as

1. Nutrition
2. Personal Hygiene
3. Immunization
4. Adequate Rest & regular exercise
5. Hand washing
Disinfection & Sterilization
Physical & chemical processes are used for disinfection & sterilization. Both processes disrupt
the internal functioning of micro organisms by destroying cell proteins.

Disinfection:
It’s a process that eliminates almost all pathogenic organism or object with the exception of
bacterial spores.

Sterilization:
It’s a process that eliminates or destroys all forms of micro bio life. E.g. of sterilization are
processing items using steam, dry heat, hydrogen peroxide plasma or ethylene oxide.

Categories for sterilization disinfection & cleaning

1. Critical Items Sterilization:
Items that enter sterile tissue or the vascular system present a high risk of infection if the item are
contaminated with any micro organism and spores items must be sterile. These items include
surgical instrument, cardiac & urinary catheters and implants

2. Semi Critical Items- Disinfection

Items that come in contact with skin that is not intact or with mucous membrane also present
risk. These objects must be free of all micro orgasims. These items include respiratory therapy
equipment, endrothachel tubes, gastrointestinal enoloscpyes and Reusable mercury
thermometers.

3. Non Critical Items - Cleaning

Items that come in contact with intact skin but not with mucous membranes must be clean.
These items include, bed pans, blood pressure cuffs, lines, & food utensils.
Personal Hygiene
One Infection – control goal of personal hygiene for client is to reduce the microbial load of the
skin & maintain the well being of mucous membranes such as the mouth and vagina

e.g. teach the client to wash from clean to dirty from the urethra down to rectum, using the clean
wash cloth. Also to encourage the client to maintain good oral hygiene. The most important &
Most Basic technique is preventing & controlling transmission of pathogens is washing hands.
 Importance of Documentation in nursing profession

1. Communication
It is a best way for communication between staff & patients & colleagues.

2. Legal Protection
It provides legal protection of staff nurses against any complaint & mishap.

3. Reimbursement
Through documentation patients easily reimburse his memory or expenditure

4. Education
It helps to improve education and provide current information about patient’s problems &
nursing Staff improves her language spelling mistake & punctuation.

5. Quality assurance
In nursing profession through documentation nurses provide quality care of the pts & improve
their health status.

6. Research
Through documentation new problems in front research help in the new medicine & pts care
need improve pts health care system and get more information and knowledge in medicinal and
nursing field.