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Disease Transmission
Disease Transmission and Infection Prevention Vocabulary Flashcards
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Acquired Immunity | Immunity that is developed during a person’s lifetime |
Acute Infection | An infection of short duration that is often severe |
Anaphylaxis | Extreme hypersensitivity to a substance that can lead to shock and life-threatening respiratory collapse |
Artificially Acquired Immunity | Immunity that results from a vaccination |
Blood-Borne Disease | Disease that is caused by microorganisms such as viruses or bacteria that are carried in blood |
Blood-Borne Pathogens | Disease-causing organisms transferred through contact with blood or other body fluids |
Chain of Infection | Conditions that all must be present for infection to occur |
Chronic Infection | An infection of long duration |
Communicable Disease | Condition caused by an infection that can be spread from person to person or through contact with body fluids |
Contaminated Waste | Items such as gloves and patient napkins that may contain potentially infectious body fluids of patients |
Direct Contact | Touching or contact with a patient’s blood or saliva |
Droplet Infection | An infection that occurs through mucosal surfaces of the eyes, nose, or mouth |
Epidemiologic Studies | Studies of the patterns and causes of diseases |
Hazardous Waste | Waste that poses a danger to humans or to the environment |
Immunity | Ability of the body to resist disease |
Indirect Contact | Touching or contact with a contaminated surface or instrument |
Infection Control | Policies and practices designed to prevent the spread of infectious agents |
Infection Prevention | Ultimate goal of all infection control procedures and policies |
Infectious Disease | Disease that is communicable |
Infectious Waste | Waste that is capable of transmitting an infectious disease |
Inherited Immunity | Immunity that is present at birth |
Latent Infection | Persistent infection with recurrent symptoms that “comes and goes.” |
Naturally Acquired Immunity | Immunity that occurs when a person has contracted and is recovering from a disease |
Occupational Exposure | Any reasonably anticipated skin, eye, or mucous membrane contact or percutaneous injury involving blood or any other potentially infectious materials |
OSHA Blood-Borne Pathogens (BBP) Standard | Guidelines designed to protect employees against occupational exposure to blood-borne pathogens |
Pathogen | Disease-causing organism |
Percutaneous | Through the skin, such as with a needle stick, cut, or human bite |
Permucosal | Contact with mucous membranes, such as the eyes or mouth |
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | Items such as protective clothing, masks, gloves, and eyewear used to protect employees |
Sharps | Pointed or cutting instruments, including needles, scalpel blades, orthodontic wires, and endodontic instruments |
Standard Precautions | Standard of care designed to protect healthcare providers from pathogens that can be spread by blood or any other body fluid via excretion or secretion; expands on the concept of Universal Precautions |
Universal Precautions | Guidelines based on treating all human blood and body fluids (including saliva) as potentially infectious |
Virulence | Strength of a pathogen’s ability to cause disease; also known as pathogenicity |