INFECTION

 Definition: Injurious contamination of body or

parts of the body by bacteria, viruses, fungi,
protozoa and rickettsia or by the toxin that they
may produce.
 Infection may be local or generalized and spread
throughout the body.
 Once the infectious agent enters the host it begins
to proliferate and reacts with the defense
mechanisms of the body producing infection
symptoms and signs: pain, swelling, redness,
functional disorders, rise in temperature and pulse
rate and leukocytosis.
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 The risk of infection is always
present.
 Patient may acquire infection before
admission to the hospital = Community
acquired infection.
 Patient may get infected inside the hospital =
Nosocomial infection.
 It includes infections
not present nor incubating at admission,
infections that appear more than 48 hours after
admission,
those acquired in the hospital but appear after
discharge
also occupational infections among staff.
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 Nosocomial Infections
 Important cause of
 Additional morbidity

 Prolonged hospitalization

 Mortality &Increased cost of

hospitalization
 HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATED
INFECTION (NOSOCOMIAL)
 Infections that are a
result of health care
delivery, not present at
admission
• EXOGENOUS
• ENDOGENOUS
• IATROGENIC

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 Links to the Chain of Infection

Why Isolation?.. because transmission is easier to

control than the source / host

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 What is Nosocomial Infection
 Any infection that is not present or incubating at the time
the patient is admitted to the hospital
 INFECTIONS THAT OCCUR AS CONSEQUENCE OF
medical care whether or not they arise during
hospitalization
 Infections are considered nosocomial if they first appear
48 hours or more after hospital admission or within 30
days after discharge
 Common Health-Care Associated
Infections
 CLABSI(Center line
associated blood stream infection)
 CAUTI (Catheter associated
Urinary Tract Infection)
 VAP (Ventilator Associated
Pneumonia)
 SSI (Surgical Site Infection)

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 Modes of Transmission
 Contact (Direct & Indirect)
 Droplet
 Airborne
 Vehicles
 Vectors

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 Follow CONTACT ISOLATION
 Used to prevent transmission of microorganisms
spread by direct/indirect contact with the source
 examples:
• MRSA
• VRE
• contagious skin infections… Lice & Scabies

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 DROPLET ISOLATION
 used to prevent transmission of microorganisms
spread by large, moist droplets inhaled by or landing
on the mucous membranes of the susceptible host
 examples:
• Influenza
• Neisseria meningitidis
• some pneumonias
• vaccine preventable diseases:
 rubella, mumps, pertussis

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 AIRBORNE ISOLATION
 used to prevent transmission of microorganisms
spread on very small particles that drift on air currents
(droplet nuclei, dust)
 examples:
• pulmonary Tuberculosis
• varicella
• measles

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