Infection Control Understanding the Principles of IC

Principles of IC It all starts with microorganisms: they can be good or they can be bad!! Microorganism: small, living organism not visible to the naked eye Found everywhere in environment Normal flora of the body, such as E.Coli in the GI tract or Staph Epidermis found on skin--non pathogens are beneficial Non pathogenic until too many grow or they are in places the are not supposed to be

Principles of IC Pathogens usually prefer warm, dark, moist places Need sources of food and moisture Human body is perfect feeding ground!!!

Principles of IC Pathogens: germs, cause infection or disease They either need O2 to grow or they don’t Aerobic—need O2 to grow Anaerobic—do NOT need O2 to grow

Classes of Microorganisms

Microorganisms Bacteria: simple, one celled organisms, multiply rapidly, classified by shape Cocci: round or spherical, pairs (diplococci) or chains (streptococci), clusters or groups (staphylococci) Bacilli: rod shaped, occur in pairs or chains, many have flagella Bacilli can form spores (thick walled capsules) which are difficult to kill Spirilla: corkscrew

MRSA: methicillin resistant staph aureus VRE: Vancomycin resistant enterococcus What can we do to prevent this problem from progressing? Superbugs have emerged as a result of the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics no longer effective against that bacteria. Have to use combinations of drugs to kill bacteria. When resistant to that….then what????

VIRUSES Viruses: smallest microorganisms, visible with electron microscope, only reproduce inside host cell Spread human to human via blood and body secretions Hard to kill because they are resistant to disinfectants and do not respond to antibiotics Common viruses: common cold, warts, herpes, chicken pox, measles, mumps, rubella, polio Prone to mutation

VIRUSES Viruses that affect animals can spread to humans usually with lethal results such as: SARS, West Nile Virus (mosquitos), Monkeypox (primates, rodents, Prairie dogs, monkeys by way of infected urine or feces), H5N1, H1N1, and everybody’s favorite-- EBOLA

VIRUSES Health care workers are exposed to many disease producing organisms, but there are a few we tend to worry about more than others: Hepatitis B Hepatitis C HIV Hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver, bloodborne and also in body fluids Can cause permanent liver damage There is a vaccine for Hep B

VIRUSES HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus that causes AIDS Attacks and suppresses the immune system making a person vulnerable to multiple pathogens because you loose the ability to fight back effectively. No cure or vaccine at the moment, although patients are living longer due to medical advances

Types of Infection Pathogens cause disease in different ways Some produce toxins that cause neurological and muscular disturbances Some cause allergic reactions (colds) Some invade living cells and destroy them (protozoan that causes malaria invade RBC’s and cause lysis) Interesting fact: How does having sickle cell anemia protect you from malaria????

Types of Infection Endogenous: disease originates within the body (metabolic disorders, tumors, congenital anomalies) Exogenous: disease originates outside the body (radiation, chemicals, trauma, electric shock, temperature extremes Nosocomial: HAI’s, get this from a hospital, from environment or from HCW Hospitals have committees to analyze and make changes in practice based on findings and medical research Infection Control Dept. at hospital runs this Hospitals will not get reimbursed by insurance if patient catches this type of infection

Types of Infections Opportunistic: those that occur when the body’s defenses are weak allowing another pathogen to take over. Example: when you take antibiotics to kill a pathogen, it also kills normal flora which leads to overgrowth of another bug kept in check by the normal flora, Yeast, Kaposi’s sarcoma

Hand Washing What is aseptic technique? Method followed to prevent the spread of germs or pathogens. Examples—skin preps, sterile gloves, scrubbing in before a procedure, maximum PPE, sterile field, sterile supplies Why is handwashing so important? Prevents spread of pathogens from person to person, thing to person, site to site, etc. Protects HCW’s from disease and illness

Hand Washing Use soap to aid in removal of germs Warm water instead of hot Fingertips pointed down Turn off faucet with paper towel to prevent spread of germs from faucet to clean hands Wash you palms, back of hands, between fingers, fingernails, up to wrists

Hand Washing using a brush or blunt end of a stick

Soap and water versus hand sanitizer Soap and water Wash x 20 seconds Warm water Fingertips down Wash multiple areas Use when hands visibly soiled, after bathroom, after taking care of body fluids, etc. Hand sanitizers Contain alcohol for antisepsis and a moisturizer to prevent drying of skin Rub until dry, at least 15 seconds May use 6-10 times before needing to wash with soap and water, unless visibly soiled, or possible contamination, or before procedures

What type of handwashing for…….. Hands are not visibly dirty or are not soiled with blood or body fluids??? Caring for a patient on specific organism transmission-based precautions???? Routine cleansing when the hands are visibly dirty or soiled with blood or other body fluids??? Prior to any invasive procedure???