EPIDEMIOLOGY STUDY OF ORIGINS, PATTERNS AND SPREAD OF ALL TYPES OF DISEASES

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES - Infectious diseases that can spread from one host to another (measles, hepatitis, chicken pox)

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES - Diseases that would not normally be spread from an infected host (heart disease, asthma, diabetes)

EPIDEMIC - Outbreak of a disease that attacks many people (chicken pox)

ENDEMIC - A disease that exists permanently in a location (Malaria)

PANDEMIC - When an epidemic spreads throughout the world (swine flu)

HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATED INFECTIONS/NOSOCOMIAL INFECTIONS

COMMON PANDEMIC - an infection that occurs whilst a patient is in a healthcare setting

Difficult to eliminate, prolong hospital stay, financial burden on health system, loss of personal income, lead to unplanned mortality

Common Causes

MRSA, skin infection, resistant to penicillin and methicillin, considered an endemic in most hospitals, only treated by one drug (vancomycin), hand washing the most effective way to decrease transmission

C-DIFF - usually occurs in patients receiving broad spectrum antimicrobial therapy, produces spores that can survive for a long time in the hospital environment, high fatality rates, disrupts and diminishes intestinal microflora (then damage to intestine), watery diarrhoea, fever, nausea, abdominal pain

THREE TYPES OF HCAI'S

EXOGENOUS INFECTION - Infections caused by microorganisms from a source external to the patient e.g staff other patients - direct contact with a wound bacteria

ENDOGENOUS INFECTION - cause by microorganisms that are part of the patients own normal flora or organisms that have colonised that patient after admission (Escherichia Coli)

LATROGENIC INFECTIONS - infection as a result of a diagnostic of therapeutic procedure

MODES OF TRANSMISSION

DROPLET

AIRBORNE

CONTACT

INFECTION CONTROL

STANDARD PRECAUTIONS (ALL PEOPLE) - Hand hygiene, PPE, handling & disposing of sharps, handling of waste & linen

ASEPTIC NO TOUCH TECHNIQUE (wound care)

STERILE TECHNIQUE