NSG 2313 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Infection Control, Superinfection, Bradykinin
Document Summary
Infection control has two purposes: protect patients from acquiring infections, protect health workers from becoming infected. Pathogens: microorganisms capable of causing disease: presence of a pathogen does not mean that an infection will begin. Infection: disease state resulting from entry and multiplication of a pathogen in the tissues of a host causing the body to manifest clinical s&s. Development of infections occur in a cycle that depends on the presence of all of the following elements: an infectious agent (pathogen) Permanent residents of the skin, survive and multiply without causing harm, not easily removed. Transient microorganisms attach to skin when person- person/object contact . Attached loosely, readily transmitted unless removed by handwashing: a reservoir (source for pathogen growth ) Place where pathogen can survive but may or may not multiply. When a pathogen is present but not causing harm it is colonizing the site.