“Principles of Infection Control” is the quick reference sheet found in the Practical Medical Chemistry (PMC) Biology section of Advanced Placement biology class. This quick guide answers many questions about the basic principles of infection control.
At this point, it’s worthwhile to define the basic principles of infection control. These include how patients gain access to contaminated surfaces and how to contain such surfaces in a manner that prevents the spread of germs and bacteria. A good example of this is how one might think about a doctor examining a patient.
It might be difficult to explain the origin of bacteria or other microbes without explaining the conditions under which they are able to survive in a human body, but the bottom line is that bacteria and other microbes cannot survive in an environment that is completely free of bacteria and other organisms. So, we know that to eliminate the source of the risk, we must clean and sterilize the surfaces that will have contact with that area. The Principles of Infection Control worksheet answers many common questions about infection control that students ask, like the following:
Where do bacteria come from? – this one should be fairly self-explanatory, since every body has some bacteria present at some point. Bacteria usually start to grow after someone has become infected, through a number of routes. These include:
– bathing, cutting, and cleaning objects. – touching contaminated objects without washing hands. – eating contaminated food, such as food prepared by someone who does not wash their hands thoroughly.
– being in the same room as someone who has a cold or other contagious disease. – sharing personal items such as towels and bedding. – working in a contaminated area, for example, in a restaurant or laboratory.
How are infectious materials contained? – a significant number of materials that are potentially dangerous are difficult to clean, such as blood. This includes clothes, bedding, flooring, linens, cots, feeding tubes, and biological weapons. These materials are hazardous to touch but not to eat.
What are some of the causes of contagious disease? – Bacteria can be transmitted by being in the same room as a person who has a contagious disease such as hepatitis, influenza, and malaria.
