Infection Prevention and Control in the Workplace

1
Infection Prevention and Control
in the Workplace

• Part 1
• UNDERSTANDING
• THE CHAIN OF INFECTION

October, 2009
2
Infection Prevention and Control
in the Workplace

• NARRATOR
• Laura Homer, Public Health Nurse
• Northwestern Health Unit
• Phone [phone]
• E-mail lhomer_at_nwhu.on.ca
• For more information
• Contact a Public Health Nurse or Public
  Health Inspector
• at your local NORTHWESTERN HEALTH UNIT
  office.

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Infection Prevention and Control
in the Workplace

• EDUCATION PREPARATION PERSONAL ACTIONS
• Taken by ALL
  employees
• Purpose of the Presentation To provide
  employers and
• employees with the information needed to
  stay healthy
• and reduce the risk of infection for
  everyone in the
• workplace environment.
• Information provided is for educational
  purposes only and is
• not intended to be a substitute for
  professional medical advice.

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Infection Prevention and Control
in the Workplace

• Working together...
• What can workers do to protect themselves from
  infectious diseases in the workplace?
• How can employers help their employees stay
  healthy?

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Infection Prevention and Control
in the Workplace

• Part 1
• Understanding the Chain of Infection
• (how infections develop and are
  transmitted)
• Part 2
• Personal Actions
• When to Seek Medical Attention
• Whos Most at Risk
• Protecting Yourself Through Vaccination
• What Employers Can Do to Help Prevent the Spread
  of Infections in the Workplace

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Infection Prevention and Control
in the Workplace

• Understanding the germs (or microorganisms)
• that cause infectious diseases and how they
  spread,
• or are transmitted from one person to another,
• is the first step in being able to prevent and
  control
• infections in the workplace.

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What are microorganisms?

• Microorganisms (germs) are everywhere in the
  environment in the air, water and soil
• on objects and surfaces we touch
• in and on humans and animals
• Not all germs cause infection,
• and some even protect a person from getting sick.
  
• Microorganisms can be classified into 4 groups
• 1. Bacteria 2. Fungi 3. Viruses 4.
  Parasites

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What is an infection?

• Infection happens when
• Certain bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses
  enter the body and start to multiply.
• The result may be symptoms such as fever,
  redness, swelling, pain, diarrhea, vomiting,
  sneezing or cough.

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The Chain of Infection

• In order for an infection to develop, a series of
  events
• must occur called the Chain of Infection.
• Each link must connect for
• an infection to develop.
• The goal of infection prevention
• and control is to break a link in
• the chain.

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Infectious Agent

• A pathogenic microorganism (or germ) produces the
  infection.

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Reservoir

• Reservoir - the place where an infectious agent
• lives and multiplies
• a person
• animal
• plant
• food
• water
• soil

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Susceptible Host

• A susceptible host is any person at risk of
  infection due to their
• degree of exposure to an infectious agent and
  their general health.
• Those most at risk
• Extremes of age
• (being very old or very young)
• People with pre-existing or
• underlying health conditions
• People undergoing medical
• treatments that may weaken
• the immune system

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Conditions that increase risk

• Breaks in the skin
• Stress and Fatigue
• Poor Nutrition
• Unhealthy lifestyles
• Poor living conditions - such as poverty, crowded
  housing and lack of access to medical care

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Portal (Means) of Entry

• Portal of Entry - the point where an infectious
  agent
• (or germ) enters a person
• the respiratory tract
• the gastrointestinal tract
• an area on the body where
• the skin is broken
• any body opening

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Common Ways Infections Get In

• Eating
• Putting contaminated fingers
• or objects in our mouths
• Touching the eyes, nose or mouth
• with contaminated hands

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Portal of Exit (Means of Escape)

• Portal of Exit - the point where an infectious
• agent leaves the reservoir

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How do infections spread to others?

• Mode of Transmission - the method or way a germ
  or
• infectious agent travels
• Interrupting the mode of transmission is the
  easiest
• way to break the link in the Chain of Infection.

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Six Modes of Transmission

• Contact Transmission
• Droplet
• Airborne
• Vector
• Common Vehicle
• Parenteral

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Contact Transmission

• Contact Transmission - the most common way
• infectious agents spread
• Direct Contact germs are transferred from one
  person to another through touch
• Indirect Contact germs are transferred by
  contaminated objects such as door knobs or a
  counter top

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Droplet Transmission

• Droplet transmission - large droplets exit the
  respiratory tract (coughing, sneezing, laughing
  or talking)
• In order for infection to spread, the droplets
  must come into direct contact with the eyes, nose
  or mouth of another person (a susceptible host).
  
• Droplets may also be transmitted through indirect
  contact. This happens when a person touches a
  surface contaminated with droplets and then
  touches their eyes, nose or mouth.

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Airborne Transmission
Tiny airborne droplets Are light and remain
suspended in the air where they move around
the environment on air currents. Must be
inhaled by a susceptible person to cause
infection. Examples Tuberculosis,
Chickenpox, Measles
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Most Common Ways Infections Spread

• Contact and Droplet Transmission
• are the two most common ways
• infectious agents spread.

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Parenteral Transmission

• Parenteral transmission - the spread of an
  infectious
• agent through a puncture in the skin
• Examples
• a needle stick injury
• surgical incision
• stepping on a rusty nail

24
Common Vehicle Transmission

• Common vehicle transmission - the spread of an
• infectious agent through a common source
• Examples
• contaminated food
• contaminated water

25
Vector Transmission

• Vector transmission - an insect or animal carries
• the germ and transmits it to humans through a
  bite
• Examples
• Lyme disease
• West Nile Virus
• Rabies

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Mode of Transmission Summary
Lets put it all together!

• Transmission of infection occurs when
• The Infectious Agent has a place to live and
  reproduce (the Reservoir),
• finds a way out (the Portal of Exit),
• gets into a persons body (Portal of Entry into a
  Susceptible Host),
• using a Mode of Transmission.

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Break the Chain!

• Pathogenic microorganism (germ, infectious agent)
• Reservoir
• Portal of Exit
• Portal of Entry
• Susceptible Host
• Mode of Transmission

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Minimize Your Risk
Germs are everywhere. We cannot
avoid exposure, but we can minimize our risk
through

• Healthy lifestyle
• Immunization
• Infection prevention and control practices

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Good Infection Prevention and Control Practices

• Cough into your sleeve or a tissue.
• Clean surfaces touched by many people.
• Practice frequent, proper hand hygiene.
• Minimize your risk and protect yourself,
• your family and friends,
• and those with whom you work.

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Infection Prevention and Control
in the Workplace

• Part 1
• Understanding the Chain of Infection
• THE END
• ______NWHU Working Group_______
• Dr. James Arthurs, Medical Officer of Health
• Donna Stanley, Manager of Infectious Diseases
• Laura Homer, Public Health Nurse
• Brian Norris, Public Health Inspector
• Claudia Westland, Health Promoter