| A | B |
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| Define communicable | when an infected host can transmit the infectious agent (Microbe) to another host and cause infection in the new host |
| example of a communicable disease | influenza, measles, chicken pox, mumps |
| Define non-communicable | infectious disease is not caused by transmission of the agent (microbe) from host to host |
| example of a non-communicable disease | testanus, certain pneumonia's contact from parasites, |
| Define reservoir | the primary habitatin the natural world from which the pathogen originates |
| non-living reservoirs of infection | soil, water, and air |
| living reservoirs of infection | humans and animals |
| carrier | an individual who is infected and spreads it to others but has no obvious signs or symptoms of the pathogen |
| passive carrier | contaminated with a pathogen but not infected and spreads the pathogen through physical contact |
| vector | a live animal that transmits an infectious agent from one host to another (fleas, mosquito, ticks, flies) |
| Why are passive carriers of particular concern in health care settings | medical personal handle potentially infectious body fluids, instruments etc which may mechanically pick up the organism and be transferred to many patients; proper handwashing, handling of contaminated materials and aseptic technique reduce this risk |
| how communicable infectious diseases are acquired | kissing, respiratory droplets, mother to child during pregnancy, airborne microbes, fomites, oral-fecal contact |
| direct methods of transmission | some type of contact must occur between the skin/mucous membranes of the infected person and the infectee; kissing (epstien barr virus), respiratory droplet spray (colds chickenpox), biological vector (west Nile); sexually transmitted disease, mother to baby during pregnancy (HIV) |
| indirect method of transmission | infectious agent is passed from the host to an intermediate carrier and then to another host; Fomites, oral-fecal; food/water (salmonella; e coli); droplet (influenza); airborne animal waste or disturbed soil |
| define fomite | contaminated inanimate objects; e.g. door handles |
| A fomite be a source of infection | true |
| sporadic | disease that exhibits new cases at IRREGULAR INTERVALS in unpredictable geographical locations |
| endemic | a NATIVE DISEASE existing CONTINUOUSLY in a geographic area; pattern may reflect a vector or environmental source |
| epidemic | SUDDEN and SIMULTANEOUS increase in the number of certain diseases in a community |
| pandemic | epidemic that has spread across a WIDE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, including more than one continent and can extend to world wide occurrence |
| Define herd immunity | an acquired immunity in a population that reduces the incidence of a pathogen and makes it less likely that a non immune individuals will contract and spread infection (vaccinations) |
| How does vaccination affect herd immunity | it gives the population vaccinated immunity to disease and decreases risk of transmission to non immune (non vaccinated) individuals |
| what is an index case | the FIRST case to bring the infection/disease to the attention of medical authorities |
| why is it important to identify the index case | so all factors related to disease can be scrutinized in hopes to recognize a pattern that indicates the source of infection so they can be quickly move to control it |
| How does knowledge of the source of an infection help to control its spread | if the source is identified the spread can be more easily controlled |
| re-emerging diseases | older, well known disease that are increasing in occurrence |
| emerging diseases | newly identified conditions being reported in increasing numbers |
