Infection Control - Medicine IMMS Notes, Study notes of Medicine

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3/12/25, 1:52 PM about:blank Infection Control - Medicine IMMS Notes Infection Control 1. 300,000 health care associated infections in England per year. (1 These are infections that patients contract whilst in hospital, which they did not have before (1 Atany one time 6-9% of patients have an HCAL (1 Costs the NHS £1 billion a year Legal responsibility: Health and Social Care Act 2006/2009 Prevention is better than cure To prevent an increased length of stay for patients ‘To maintain public perception and confidence in health care A reservoir of infection can develop . Antibiotics become ineffective against routine infections . All healthcare workers have a responsibility SIA awD Chain of Infection: How do patients get HCAIs? _ 1) Low immunity (low white blood cell count) from underlying disease e.g. blood disorders Some drugs like chemotherapy lower immunity Being elderly, neonatal, malnourished Being a smoker; substance abuse Antibiotics disrupts normal healthy bacteria Open wounds Other invasive procedures e.g. catheters, IV lines Inadequate levels of hygiene Qoo00000 2. Causative Mi anisms Increased number in health care settings 1 Antibiotics enhance the development of resistant pathogenic strains Examples: MRSA, tuberculosis 3. Reservoir 1 The potential spread originates from patients, visitors, fomites or staff 4. Portals of Entry and Exit RESPIRATORY TRACT QO ENTRY: Inhalation EXIT: coughing and sneezing GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRACT 15