MCB 2004C Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Infection Control, Mycobacterium, Disinfectant
Document Summary
Study of the occurrence, determinants, and distribution of health and disease in healthcare settings. Cost-benefit assessment eliminate/contain reservoirs, interrupt transmission, protect. Limit use of vancomycin (drug of last resort) Treatment with steroids, anticancer drugs, antilymphocyte drugs, radiation. Failure of healthcare workers to follow infection control guidelines. Use of less highly trained healthcare workers. Measures taken to prevent infections in healthcare settings. Handwashing - single most important measure to reduce the spread of nosocomial pathogens. Clean technique - reduce the number and spread of pathogens. High-level: kill all microbes (+viruses), not spores. Critical items - must be sterile, high risk. Semicritical items high level disinfect, contact mucous membranes or non-intact skin. Noncritical items low-level (i. e. 70% ethoh) Guidelines to prevent transmission of communicable pathogens. Apply to all patients, in all healthcare settings. For patients known or suspected to be infected with highly transmissible or epidemiologically important pathogens. Contact transmission most important, most frequent mode of hai transmission.