[Grace]

Thinking of your current or a past practice area provide an example of the train of transmission specific to that area. Fill in all ‘links’ in the chain with an example for each link:

Infectious Agent:

Reservoirs:

Portals of Exit:

Modes of Transmission:

Portals of Entry:

Susceptible Host:

[Sara]

Infectious Agent: viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and helminths (worms).

Reservoirs: live and grow in human and animal populations, soil, water, and inanimate objects or materials.

Portals of Exit: exit can include blood, respiratory secretions, and anything exiting from the gastrointestinal or urinary tracts.

Modes of Transmission: Airborne -Respiratory-Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) -Animal or insect transmission.-Food or water transmission-Health care transmission.

Portals of Entry: drinking contaminated water. The portals of entry are mucosal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and cutaneous.

Susceptible Host: the person who is vulnerable to infection. A young child or a person with HIV/AIDS

[Robin]

Robin – I am currently practicing on an inpatient med-surg unit.

Infectious agent- staffylococci and enterococci tranmitted from surgical personnel or equipment.

Resevoirs- a wound bed and the GI tract can be a great places for bacteria to thrive.

Portals of exit- I see a lot of percautions warning against GI infections, for example, VRE in the stool. Also respiratory infections, most often Covid.

Portals of entry- Broken skin or respiratory tract when PPE is not worn propperly or at all.

Susceptable host- The health care worker and other patients who are immunocompromised.

[Sarah]

Sarah- I work in long term care on a behavioural support unit.

Infectious Agent: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), influenza, urinary tact infection

Reservoirs: patient visitors, door handles, healthcare providers, medical equipment and patients.

Portals of Exit: any route that the pathogen can leave the reservoir. Humans, the main portals of exit include: Alimentary: vomiting, diarrhea, saliva.

Modes of Transmission: Direct contact spread, large population of people in small areas.

Portals of Entry: Inhalation, absorption, ingestion, inoculation, and insertion of medical equipment.

Susceptible Host: Elderly.
People with a weakened immune system and
Unimmunized people.

[Pallavi]

I agree that infections such as UTIs, influenzas, MRSA are common in nursing homes. Here is the example for MRSA:

Infectious Agent: bacteria (MRSA)
Reservoirs: patients with MRSA, especially those with wounds/ catheters etc.
Portals of Exit: open wounds, surgical incisions
Modes of Transmission: direct contact with infected wounds/ contaminated surfaces
Portals of Entry: non-intact skin such as wounds
Susceptible Host: patients with weakened immune system or with indwelling devices such as catheter

[Sherri]

Infectious Agent: viruses, bacteria, protozoa. worms

Reservoirs: humans, animals, water, soil, food

Portals of Exit: alimentary, genitourinary, respiratory

Modes of Transmission: Airborne, Respiratory, Sexually transmitted diseases, Animal or insect transmission, health care transmission, Food or water transmission

Portals of Entry: mucosal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and cutaneous.

Susceptible Host: the person who is vulnerable to infection. A women with an autoimmune disease

[Brianne]

Infectious Agent: people, food, drinks

Reservoirs: door handles, cups, tables, wheelchairs

Portals of Exit: respiratory, gastro

Modes of Transmission: contact, droplet, airborne

Portals of Entry: broken skin

Susceptible Host: older people that have multiple co-morbidities

[Rahmatu]

Infectious Agent: Bacteria

Reservoirs: Perineal areas, IV lines, wounds

Portals of Exit: Bodily fluids

Modes of Transmission: Contact with infected bodily fluids, contaminated shared spaces e.g. dining rooms, staff rooms/lounges

Portals of Entry: Mucous membranes, and broken skin

Susceptible Host: Immunosuppressed individuals, Clients requiring invasive procedures, unvaccinated client, staff that are not compliant with safe infection control practices.

[Pallavi]

Nursing home:

Infectious Agent: Influenza virus
Reservoirs: Human (infected resident or staff) harboring the virus in their respiratory secretion
Portals of Exit: respiratory secretions (cough/sneeze)
Modes of Transmission: droplet transmission
Portals of Entry: respiratory tract (inhalation of infected droplet), eyes, nose, mouth if contaminated hands come in contact.
Susceptible Host: people with weak immune system, unvaccinated resident/staff

[Author]

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