COMMUNICABLE DISEASE

An illness caused by an infectious

agent or its toxic products that are
transmitted directly or indirectly to
a well person through an agency,
and a vector or an inanimate object.

Two Major Types of

Communicable Disease
1. INFECTIOUS not easily
transmitted by ordinary contact but
require a direct inoculation through
a break in the previously intact skin
or mucous membrane.
2. CONTAGIOUS easily spread
directly transmitted from person to
person

INFECTION
-

The
invasion
and
multiplication
of
microorganisms on the
tissues
of
the
host
resulting t signs and
symptoms as well as
immunologic response

. Microorganisms injures
the patient either by:
Competing with the hosts
metabolism.
Cellular damage produced by
the microbes
Intracellular multiplication.

PATTERNS OF A
DISEASE/INFECTION
SPORADIC DISEASESdiseases that occur
occasionally and irregularly
with no specific pattern.
EPIDEMIC DISEASESdiseases that occur in a greater
number than what is expected
in a specific area over a specific
time.

 PANDEMIC DISEASES- an
epidemic that affects several
countries or continents.
ENDEMIC DISEASES- are
those that are present in a
population or community at
times. They usually involve few
people during specific periods.

Why infection occurs..

Resistance to antibiotics
Multiple strains of microbes
Resistance of viruses to antiviral
drugs
New infectious agents occur
Microbes localize in areas of the
body that make treatment difficult.
Immunocompromised patients may
be
infected
by
opportunistic
organisms.
Inadequate or no immunization

 Increased air travel can cause the

spread of the virulent organism to a
heavy populated area in hours.
Use of biological warfare and
bioterrorism with organisms
The
expanded
use
of
immunosuppressive drugs.

THE CHAIN OF INFECTION

A. CAUSATIVE
AGENT
Any microbe capable of producing a
disease.
It can be bacteria, spirochete, virus,
rickettsia, chlamydiae, fungi, parasite,
protozoa.
TERMS TO REMEMBER
PATHOGENECITY- ability to cause
disease.
VIRULENCE- ability to move through
the tissue.
INFECTIVE DOSE- number of
organisms to initiate infection.

 ORGANISMS SPECIFITY- host

preference; antigenic variations
ELABORATION OF TOXINS

B. RESERVOIR OF
INFECTION

Refers to the environment and objects on

which an organism survives and
multiplies.
Human reservoir
-CARRIERS Incubatory carrier
Convalescent carrier
Intermittent carrier
Chronic or Sustained carrier
Animals
Nonliving objects (nonanimal)

C. THE PORTAL OF
EXIT
The path or way in which the
organisms leaves the reservoir.
Common portals of exit
Respiratory system
GUT
GIT
Skin and mucous membrane
placenta

Mode of Escape from

Reservoir

Respiratory tract
Gastrointestinal tract
Genito-urinary tract
Open lesions
Mechanical escape
Blood

D. MODE OF
TRANSMISSION
Is the means by which the
infectious agent passes through
from the portal of exit of the
reservoir to the susceptible host
The earliest link to break the
chain of infection

FOUR (4) ROUTES OF

TRANSMISSION
1. CONTACT TRANSMISSION
Most common mode of transmission.
It can be in the following modes:
Direct contact- person to person
transfer
Indirect contact- a susceptible
person comes in contact with a
contaminated object
Droplet spread- contact with
respiratory secretions

2. AIRBORNE
TRANSMISSION
Occurs when fine microbial
particles or dust particles
containing microbes remain
suspended in the air for a
prolonged period.

3. VEHICLE
TRANSMISSION
The transmission of infectious
disease through articles or
substances that harbor the
organism until it is ingested or
inoculated into the host.

4. VECTOR- BORNE
TRANSMISSION
Occurs when intermediate
carriers such as fleas, flies and
mosquitoes transfer the
microbes to another living
organism.

E. PORTAL OF
ENTRY
The venue where the organism
gains entrance into the
susceptible host.
The infective microbes use the
same avenues when they exit
from the reservoir.

F. SUSCEPTIBLE
HOST

An immunosuppressed
individual; weakened host

Occurrence of infection
depends on the hosts..
Age, sex and constitution of the host
Nutritional status, fitness,
environmental factors
General condition, physical,
emotional and mental state
Absent of or abnormal
immunoglobulin
Underlying diseases
Treatment with certain antimicrobials,
corticosteroids, radiation r
immunosuppressive drugs.

EMERGING PROBLEMS IN
INFECTIOUS DISEASE
Increasing number of
organisms
Increasing numbers of
immunosuppressed
individuals
Persons with serious diseases
The use of indwelling lines
and implanted foreign bodies.

INFECTION
CONTROL
MEASURES

.. UNIVERSAL
PRECAUTION means that
all patients shall be
assumed infected with
HIV/ AIDS and other
blood borne pathogens.

LEVELS OF
PREVENTION
Primary prevention
Secondary prevention
Tertiary prevention

ASPECTS OF CARE OF PATIENTS

WITH COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
PREVENTIVE ASPECT
A. Health Education
B. Environmental Sanitation
C. Immunization

TYPES OF IMMUNITY

1. NATURAL
Passive- acquired through placental
transfer

Active- acquired through

immunization and/or recovery from a
certain disease.

2. ARTIFICIAL
Passive- acquired through the
administration of antitoxin,
antiserum, convalescent serum and
gamma globulins.

Active- acquired through the

administration of vaccine and toxoid

3. SUB-CLINICAL
-an immunity acquired through
constant exposure to a particular
disease or organism.

Suggested Control
Measures for Primary
Care Clinics

Masking
Hand washing
Gloving
Gowning
Eye protection
Environmental sanitation

ISOLATION
- Is the separation of patients
with communicable diseases
from others so as to prevent
or reduce transmission of
infectious agent directly or
indirectly

Purpose of Isolation
. To confine the infectious
agent to a circumscribed area
and to prevent the escape of
infection from that area.

SEVEN (7) CATEGORIES

RECOMMENDED IN
ISOLATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

STRICT ISOLATION
CONTACT ISOLATION
RESPIRATORY ISOLATION
TB ISOLATION
ENTERIC ISOLATION
DRAINAGE/ SECRETION PRECAUTION
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTION