Infectious Diseases February 2018 Key Learnings for Today

What is an Infection?

The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that are not normally present within the body.

Bacteria

• Can thrive in many different types of environments: extreme heat or cold, radioactive.
• Larger than viruses.
• Reproduce on their own.
• Important! Most bacteria cause no harm to people, but there are exceptions.

Bacteria

Examples of infections caused by bacteria could include:

• Strep throat
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Urinary tract infections

Can these be treated? How?

Viruses

• Viruses are even smaller than bacteria.
• Require living hosts - such as people, plants or animals - to multiply.
• When a virus enters your body, it invades some of your cells and takes over the cell machinery, redirecting it to produce the virus.

Viruses

Diseases caused by viruses may include:

• Chickenpox
• Measles
• Common colds

Can these be treated? How?

Reservoirs – “Hiding Places”

• People
• Animals
• Equipment
• Water

Any place where an infectious agent can live

Portal of Exit – “The Way Out”

• Nose or mouth
• Blood
• Skin
• Urine/Feces

The way the Infectious Agent leaves the reservoir

Mode of Transmission – “Getting Around”

The way the Infectious Agent gets from the reservoir to the new host

Contact

Direct Indirect

Mode of Transmission Con’t

• Droplet

≤ 3 feet

• Airborne

Mode of Transmission Con’t

• Vehicle

-Contaminated food, water,

medications, instruments

• Vector borne

-Mosquitoes, flies, ticks