Chapter 26 Infectious Diseases

source individual

Any person, living or dead, whose blood or other potentially infectious material may be a source of occupational exposure to another person; examples include but are not limited to, hospitals and clinic patients; clients in institutions for the developmentally disabled; trauma victims; clients of drug or alcohol treatment facilities; residents of hospices and nursing homes; human remains; and people who donate or sell blood or blood components.

other potentially infectious materials (OPIM)

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), pericardial fluid, amniotic fluid, synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, and any fluid containing visible blood.

endemic

Consistently present or prevalent in a population or geographic area.

needleless system

Devices that do no use needles for the collection of bodily fluids or the withdrawal of bodily fluids after initial venous or arterial access is established, the administration of medications or fluids, or any other procedure involving the potential for occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens by percutaneous injuries from exposure to contaminated sharps.

seropositive

Having a positive blood test for an infectious agent such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hepatitis B or C virus.

reservior

In the context of communicable disease, a place where organisms may live and multiply.

fomites

Inanimate objects contaminated with microorganisms that serve as a means of transmitting an illness.

serum hepatitis

Infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) which is transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusion, or puncture of the skin with contaminated needled; signs and symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, general fatigue and malaise, low-grade fever, vague abdominal discomfort, and sometimes aching in the joints; eventually, jaundice occurs.

mononucleosis

Infectious mononucleosis or mono (glandular fever); caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, is often called the kissing disease, also spread by coughing or sneezing.

vaccinations

Inoculations with a vaccine, usually by injection or inhalation, to bring immunity to a specific disease in a person.

icterus

Jaundice; the yellow appearance of the skin and other tissues caused by an accumulation of of bile pigments.

host resistance

One's ability to fight off infection.

bloodborne pathogens

Pathogenic microorganisms that are present inhuman blood and can cause disease in humans; these pathogens include, but are not limited to, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C.

carriers

People who harbor an infectious agent, and although not personally ill, can transmit the infection to other people.

zoonotic

Refers to infectious diseases of animals that can be transmitted to humans and cause disease.

protozoa

Single-celled, usually microscopic, eukaryotic organisms such as amoebas, ciliates, flagellates, and sporozoans; a type of parasite.

fungi

Small organisms that can grow rapidly in the presence of needed nutrients and organic material and can cause infection related to contact with decaying organic matter or from airborne spores in the environment such as molds.

viruses

Small organisms that can multiply only inside a host, such as a human, and cause disease.

bacteria

Small organisms that grow and reproduce outside of the human cell in the presence of the right temperature and nutrients and cause disease by invading and multiplying in tissues of the host.

virulence

The ability of an organism to invade and create disease in a host; also refers to the ability of an organism to survive outside of the living host.

aquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

The end-stage disease process caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); results in extreme vulnerability to numerous opportunistic bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, that would not affect a person with an intact immune system.

influenza

The flu; a respiratory infection caused by a variety of viruses; differs from the common cold in that the flu involves a fever, headache, and extreme exhaustion.

opportunistic infection

The infections in which an organism thrives when the immune system has been compromised by illness, chemotherapeutic medications, or antirejection drugs in an organ transplant recipient. These fungi, bacteria, viruses, and parasites are normally held in check by a healthy immune system.

infection

The invasion of a host or host tissue by pathogenic organisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites that produces illness that may or may not have clinical manifestations.

incubation period

The period between exposure to an organism and the first symptoms of illness, during which the organism multiplies within the body and starts to produce symptoms. This period is when the disease can be transmitted to another person.

communicable period

The period during which an infected person can transmit a communicable disease to someone else.

jaundice

The presence of excessive bile pigments in the bloodstream that give the skin, mucous membranes, and eyes a distinct yellow color; often associated with liver disease.

contaminated

The presence or the reasonably anticipated presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials on an item or surface.

chancre

The primary lesion or ulcer of syphilis that occurs at the entry site of infection.

immunization

The process of producing a widespread immunity to a specific infectious disease among a targeted group by inoculating individual members of the population; can also refer to a set of vaccinations given together or on a recommended schedule.

vaccines

The products formulated to bring about immunity by introducing into the body a killed or weakened virus to which the immune system produces antibodies.

standard precautions

The term currently used to describe the infection control practices that will reduce the opportunity for exposure of providers in the daily care of patients; consider all body fluids, except sweat, to present a possible risk.

droplet transmission

The transmission of an infectious agent by inhalation of relatively large particles generated when an infected person coughs or sneezes; these particles travel a short distance through the air before falling to the ground.

airborne transmission

The transmission of an infectious agent by inhalation of small particles that become aerosolized when the infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or exhales. particles remain suspended suspended in this vapor and can travel a short distance, usually 3'-6'.

contact transmission

The transmission of an infectious agent by means of direct or indirect contact with the infected persons, such as skin-to-skin contact or contact with the patient's environment.

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

The virus that may lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); cells in the immune system are killed or damaged so that the body is unable to fight infections and certain cancers.

vesicles

Tiny fluid-filled sacs; small blisters.

lice

Tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that feed on blood; an infestation is easily spread through close personal contact; types include head, body, and pubic lice.

Enterococcus

A common, normal organism of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and genitourinary tract, that can become pathogenic and become resistant to vancomycin.

avian (bird) flu

A disease cause by a virus that occurs naturally in the bird population. Signs and symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, and muscle aches.

infectious disease

A disease cause by pathogenic organisms.

tenanus

A disease caused by spores that enter the body through a puncture wound contaminated with animal feces, street dust, or soil or that can enter through street drugs; signs and symptoms include pain at the wound site and painful muscle contractions at the neck and trunk muscles.

rabies

A fatal infection of the central nervous system caused by a bite from an animal that has been infected with the rabies virus.

sexually transmitted diseases (STD)

A group of diseases usually acquired through sexual contact and that include gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, scabies, pubic lice, herpes, hepatitis, and HIV infection.

respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

A labile paramyxovirus that affects the upper and lower respiratory tracts, but disease, namely pneumonia and bronchiolitis, is more prevalent in the lower respiratory tract.

colonized

A pathogen is present but has produced no illness in the host; often progresses to active infection; a colonized host is often called a carrier because he or she can transmit the pathogen to others.

designated infection control officer (DICO)

A person trained to ensure that proper postexposure medical treatment and counseling are provided to an exposed employee or volunteer.

severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)

A potentially life threatening viral infection that usually starts with flu-like symptoms.

syphilis

A sexually transmitted disease (STD) cause by the spiral-shaped bacteria Treponema pallidum with signs and symptoms that include an ulcerative lesion or chancre of the skin or mucous membrane at the site of infection, commonly in the genital region.

gonorrhea

A sexually transmitted disease (STD) that results in infection caused by the gonococcal bacteria; signs and symptoms pus-containing discharge from the urethra and painful urination in males and the signs and symptoms of acute abdominal pain in females.

chlamydia

A sexually transmitted disease (STD) with the highest incidence in STDs; signs and symptoms include inflammation of the urethra, epididymis, cervix, and fallopian tubes, and discharge from the urethra.

staphylococcus aureus

A strain of bacteria that became resistant to the drug methicillin, creating a new strain called methicillin-resistant S aureus; symptoms include infections and possibly localized skin abscesses and cellulites, empyemas, and endocarditis.

gastroenteritis

A term that comprises many types of infections and irritations of the gastrointestinal tract; symptoms include nausea and vomiting, fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea. Also known as stomach flu.

tuberculin skin test (TST)

A test to determine if a person has ever been infected with tuberculosis.

lyme disease

A tick-borne disease that primarily affects the skin, heart, joints, and nervous system and is characterized by a round, red lesion or a bull's-eye rash.

meningococcal meningitis

A type of meningitis caused by the meningococcal bacterium.

west nile virus (WNV)

A type of virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes, and usually only causes mild disease in humans but can cause encephalitis, meningitis, and death. Symptoms, if any, include fever, headache, body rash, and swollen lymph glands.

Chickenpox (Varicella)

A very contagious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus, which is part of the herpes virus family, occurring most often in the winter and early spring.

rubella

A viral disease similar to the measles, best known by the distinctive red rash on the skin; not nearly as infectious or severe as measles.

mumps

A viral infection that primarily infects the parotid glands, which are one of the three pairs of salivary glands, causing swelling in front of the ears.

hantavirus

A virus found in wild rodents, which can cause disease in human, characterized by fever, headache, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and vomiting; diseases caused are hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

pertussis

An acute infectious disease characterized by a catarrhal stage, followed by a paroxysmal cough that ends in a whooping inspiration; also called whooping cough.

vector

An animal or insect that carries a disease causing organism and transmits it to a human host, without becoming ill itself.

nosocomial infection

An infection acquired from a healthcare setting.

tuberculosis (TB)

An infection that can progress to a disease characterized by a persistent cough for >3 weeks plus night sweats, headache, weight loss, hemoptysis, and/or chest pain.

communicable disease

An infectious disease that can be transmitted from one person to another by direct or indirect contact through a vector or fomite; also called a contagious disease.

measels

An infectious viral disease that occurs most often in late winter and spring; begins with a fever followed by a cough, running nose, and pink eye; a rash spreads from the face and neck down the back and trunk.

scabies

An infestation of the skin with the mite Sarcoptes scabiei; spreads rapidly with skin to skin contact.

viral hepatitis

An inflammation of the liver produced by one of five distinct forms of virus- A,B,C,D, or E. The types differ in transmission but present with the same signs and symptoms.

pneumonia

An inflammation of the lungs caused by bacterial, viral, or fungal infections or infections from other microorganisms.

meningitis

An inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord; it is usually caused by a virus or a bacterium; the viral type is less severe than the bacterial; the bacterial type can result in brain damage, hearing loss, learning disability, or death.

parasites

An living organisms in or on any other living creature; takes advantage of the host by feeding off of its cells and tissues.

pandemic

An outbreak of disease that occurs on a global scale.

epidemic

An outbreak of disease that substantially exceeds what is expected based on recent experience.

infectious hepatitis

Another name for hepatitis A; an inflammation from a virus that causes mild fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, nausea, abdominal pain, and, eventually, jaundice, dark-colored urine, and whitish stools.