| A | B |
|---|
| Microorganism | An organism so small they can only be seen with a microscope |
| Pathogen | An organism capable of causing disease |
| Infection | A condition caused by the growth of pathogens in the body. |
| OSHA | Inspects LTC facilities for compliance with PPE, Standard Precautions, MSDS's TB exposure control and training |
| Airborne Route | Through this route infection pathogens spread by inhaltion of small pathogens which can float in the air |
| Droplet | Through this route of infection pathogens can spread by frops of secretions placed in the air by sneezing, coughing or talking |
| Hand - Washing | The single most important measure in the prevention and control of infection |
| PPE | Personal Protective Equipment |
| Gloves, Gowns, and Masks | Examples of PPE |
| Standard Precautions | Recommended by the CDC to prevent the transmission of known and unknown infections through blood and body fluids or contact with mucous membranes and are used on all persons. |
| CDC | Center for Disease Control |
| Chain of Infection | Infections occur when these connections exist. |
| Direct Contact | Touching the source of the infection |
| In-Direct Contact | Touching an object contaminated by the source of an infection |
| Cross - Contamination | Spreading pathogens from one place or person to another. |
| "Clean" and "Dirty" | Isolation precautions are based on this concept |
| Contact Precautions | This method of infection control is used for a known or suspected infection transmitted through direct or indirect contact. |
| OPIM | Potentially infectious materials |
| HBV | Heaptitis B Virus - Virus that is present in the blood. |
| HIV | Human Immune Deficiency Virus |
| Biohazard Waste | An item contaminated with blood, body fluids, secretions or excretions. |
| Sharps Container | A puncture proof, leak - proof container labeled with the biohazard symbol and used for disposal of sharp. |
| Systemic Infection | An infection which has traveled throughout the bloodstream. |
| Local Infection | An infection confined to one area |
| Tuberculosis | A bacterial infection which affects the lungs spread by airborne route |
| MRSA | Methicillin - Resistant Staph |
| VRE | Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus |
| Pediculosis | Lice |
| Pediculosis Capitis | Head Lice |
| Pediculosis Pubis | Infestation of pubic hair with lice |
| Pediculosis Corporis | Infestation of the body with lice |
| Scabies | A contagious skin disorder caused by the female mite that burrows into the skin and lays eggs. Causes intense itching. |
| Hepatitis A Virus | This virus is spread by the fecal - oral route and infects the liver |
| Drug - Resistant Organism | Organisms which are able to resist the effrects of antibiotics. |
| C - difficile | A spore forming, anaerobic bacteria that produces exotoxins which is a common cause of antibiotic - associated diarrhea. |
| Fomite | An object that becomes contamined with infectious material that contains a pathogen. |
| "Nosocomial Infection" | (HAI) An hospital acquired infection or healthcare - associated infection (HAI) |
| Transmission Based Precaution | A set of standards recommended by the CDC to prevent the spread of certain known or suspected infections that cannot be controlled by Standard Precautions alone. |
| Medical Asepsis | (Clean Technique)Medical practices that reduce the numbers of microorganisms or interrupt transmission of pathogens. |
| Sterilization | The process of destroying all microorganisms |
| Sterile Asepsis (Surgical Asepsis) | (Sterile Technique)Practices which maintain a sterile environment |
| Disinfection | The process of destroying or reducing pathogens |
| Communicable disease | Diseases caused by pathogens which are transmissible by direct or indirect contact spread |
| Pneumonia | Inflammation and infection of lung tissue |
| UTI | Urinary Tract Infection |
| Pyelonephritis | Inflammation of the kidney |
| Cystitis | Inflammation of the bladder |
| Hepatitis A | Virus which attacks the liver spread by the fecal -oral route |
| Hepatitis B | A virus of the liver present in blood and body fluids |
| Hepatitis C | Virus which attacks the liver spread by blood. Damage may not occur for years later |
| MRSA | A staph infection that is resistant to many antibiotics |
| Contamination | The process of becoming unclean |
| Drug resistant organisms | Organisms that are able to resist the effects of antibiotics |
| Clostridium difficile | a spore forming bacteria which can be a part of the normal intestinal flora and is associated with the overuse of antibiotics |
| C diff | Common abbreviated use of Clostridium difficile |
| Droplet Precautions | Use these precautions for diseases that are normally spread no farther than 3 feet in the air |
| Contact Precautions | Use these precautions when an infection or disease might be spread through direct or indirect contact |
| Airborne Precautions | Use these precautions to prevent the spread of pathogens that travel through the air and may remain floating. |
| Airborne Precautions | Patients under these precautions must be in a private room where the air is exhausted directly to the outside |
| Mucous Membranes | The membranes that line body cavities that open to the outside of the body, such as linings of the mouth, nose, eyes, rectum and genitals |
| Fomite | An object that is contaminated with a pathogen and can spread that pathogen |
| Contagious Disease | A type of communicable disease that spreads quickly from person to person |
| Contaminated | Soiled, unclean, having disease causing organisms or infectious material on it. |
| Body Fluids | Tears, saliva, sputum(mucus coughed up) urine, feces, semen, vaginal secretions, pus or other wound drainage or vomit |
| Immunity | Resistance to infection by a specific pathogen |
| Vaccine | A substance prepared from a weakened or killed microorganism that is used to provide immunity to a disease |
| Normal Flora | Microorganisms that normally live in and on the body and do not cause harm in a healthy person, as long as they stay in the area of the body where they should be. |
| Incubation Period | The period of time between the time a pathogen enters the body and the time it causes visible signs and symptoms of disease |
| Standard Precautions | Means treating blood, body fluids, non - intact skin and mucous membranes as if the were infected. |
| Transmission Based Precautions | Use these guidelines for a person who is infected or may be infected with certain infectious diseases. |
| Isolation Precautions | Also called transmission based precautions |
| AIDS | In this disease a person's ability to fight other diseases is affected. A virus has affected the immune system |
| Non - Pathogen | Microbes that do not usually cause an infection. |
| Carrier | A person who does not have any signs or symptoms of a disease but can pass it to another. |
| Portals of entry and exit | How an organism enters or exits a person |
| Respiratory, gastrointestinal, urinary, reproductive tracts, breaks in the skin, mucous membranes and the blood | Portal of entry and exits include |
| Susceptible host | A person at risk for infection |
| Norovirus | The most common cause of acute gastroenteritis, which is when your stomach and intestines to get inflamed. |
| Local Infection | An infection limited to a specific part of the body. |
| Systemic Infection | An infection that occurs when pathogens enter the blood stream and move throughout the body. |
