Video Transcripts

9.2 The Chain of Infection

AHE: The Chain of Infection

To prevent and control infection first, we need to understand how infection is spread through the Chain of Infection. The Chain of Infection is made up of six different links. Infection occurs when each link is present in this order, but the chain is easy to break. Each link can be broken, which prevents disease and keeps patients safe.

An infectious agent is an organism having the ability to cause disease. To break this link, seek prompt treatment if you are ill and use the right cleaning solution to disinfect the pathogens you have identified.

The second link is a reservoir. A reservoir is where pathogens can live and reproduce, like table tops and door knobs, and people. Break this link by washing your hands, keeping a clean environment, and disinfecting surfaces.

Next in the chain is the portal of exit, which is how the pathogen leaves the reservoir, such as sneezes or coughs. Break this link by wearing personal protective equipment, washing your hands properly, disposing of trash, and covering your cough or sneeze.

The fourth link is the mode of transmission. This is how pathogens are carried from one place to another, even on the hands of a healthcare worker to break this link, wash your hands, control airflow in negative pressure rooms, disinfect surfaces, handle food properly, and observe isolation precautions.

Next the chain includes the portal of entry. It’s the way pathogens enter the host, like breaks in the skin. Healthcare workers break this link by practicing a septic technique during procedures, taking proper care of wounds, washing their hands, and properly caring for catheters.

The last link in the Chain of Infection is the susceptible host. The host is a person who cannot defend against pathogens, such as the elderly or burn patients. Healthcare workers break this link by treating the primary disease and identifying those at higher risk for infection.

As a Healthcare Environmental Services technician, you can see how your daily duties give you many chances to break the chain and keep everyone safe from illness