• Infectious Agent: This is the microscopic pathogen that can cause an infection.
• Reservoir: Reservoirs are places in the environment where the infectious agent lives such as on or within an animal or human host.
• Portal of Exit: This is the specific way the infectious agent leaves the reservoir. For example many viruses exit a host by the respiratory tract. Bloodborne pathogens exist in the blood, so their portal of exit could be a cut or scratch.
Transmission of pathogens can easily be prevented by understanding the various modes of transmission. Simple precautions including good hygiene and a clean environment can do much to stem the spread of a host of diseases.
• Direct and Indirect Contact
We can come in contact with germs by touching a surface that has been contaminated by someone coughing or sneezing on it, or by infectious particles being transferred to the object in another manner. This is transmission via indirect contact. Direct contact involves directly touching another person.
• Droplet Transmission
Droplets from sneezing, coughing or talking can briefly travel in the air and infect another person though the mouth, nose or eyes. Wearing a face mask greatly helps reduce the chance of droplet-borne transmission.
• Airborne Transmission
When infectious particles are small enough to float in the air for an extended period of time they can cause airborne transmission of disease.
Direct contact transmission of bloodborne pathogens occurs when two living things come in contact via a cut or open wound for example. Indirect contact of bloodborne pathogens can occur when an individual comes in contact with a contaminated object such as a needle tip or bandages. Hands that are not properly washed can also spread bacteria and bloodborne pathogens. Airborne transmission of bloodborne pathogens is not something that typically occurs.
Bloodborne pathogens can be spread through different types of bodily fluid including the following:
• Cerebrospinal (brain) fluid
• Amniotic (uterus) fluid
• Synovial (joints) fluid
• Pleural (lungs) fluid
• Blood
• Pericardial (heart) fluid
• Peritoneal (abdomen)fluid
• Vaginal secretions
• Semen
• Any bodily fluid contaminated with blood
The mucous membranes of the eyes, mouth, nose and ears are very susceptible to infection transmission. If fluid contaminated with bloodborne pathogens comes in contact with these sensitive tissues, infection will occur. Healthy, intact skin is the best defense against bloodborne infections. Even acne and inflamed skin can be portals of entry for pathogens, not just open cuts and wounds. Of course, sexual contact will lead to bloodborne pathogen transmission due to the exchange of bodily fluids.
Bloodborne pathogens do not spread from superficial contact like shaking hands or hugging. As long as the skin is intact, there is no concern about becoming infected by a bloodborne pathogen from simply touching another person.
Let's go over everything we have learned in this lesson. It's valuable to review the highlights of the recently absorbed information to help the new knowledge stick. We hope you're enjoying the course so far and we'll see you in the next lesson.
INTRODUCTION TO BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS
• Bloodborne pathogens are type of infectious microscopic organism that can be transmitted through the blood or other bodily fluids
CHAIN OF INFECTION
• Infectious Agent: A microscopic pathogen
• Reservoir: where the infectious agent lives
• Portal of Exit: the way an infectious agent leaves its reservoir
• Mode of Transmission: the way infection can be spread
• Portal of Entry: the way the infectious agent enters its new host
• Susceptible Host: the living thing the pathogen infects
HOW INFECTION SPREADS
• Direct and Indirect Contact
• Droplet Transmission
• Airborne Transmission
BLOODBORNE PATHOGEN RESERVOIRS
• Blood
• Cerebrospinal (brain) fluid
• Amniotic (uterus) fluid
• Synovial (joints) fluid
• Pleural (lungs) fluid
• Pericardial (heart) fluid
• Peritoneal (abdomen)fluid
• Vaginal secretions
• Semen
• Any bodily fluid contaminated with blood
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