Infection Prevention and Control in Defence Healthcare Essay

Infection Prevention and Control in Defence Healthcare - Essay Example Present and important theories on infection control and prevention will be discussed, as well as the best practices in vogue today. II. What Is an Infection? An infection in medical terms may be defined as the susceptibility of the human body or an area of the human body to be vulnerable to germs (www.cqc.org.uk). These germs enter the body and multiply, causing disease and subsequent discomfort. Infection may be caused by a debilitating disease such as cancer or diabetes, or even be the side effects of treatments being provided to cure or lessen other impacts of life threatening diseases and maladies. In fact, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and other such conditions in the elderly may cause them to fall and thus result in wounds and infections that if not cared for properly and effectively lead to partial or even permanent immobility. An infection may also be defined as the invasion of foreign cells that cause harm to the host organism. Bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites can invade the human body at a susceptible location and cause harm to it. Engaging in combat as defense personnel do put them in the front lines of battle and can easily lead to injuries and wounds which can get infected as well. That is why it is important that persons dealing with infection prevention and control such as doctors, nurses, paramedics and surgeons not only have first hand knowledge of the most common types of infections but also how to prevent them or control their spread in the human body. They must not only know the best practices but also take proper and adequate measures when dealing with injured patients who have already contracted infections to prevent them from causing further harm to themselves or the patients (RCN, 2005). III. Kinds of Infections & Their Causes As stated above, there may be many causes of infections. An infection may be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi or any other kind of parasite. Strep throat infections, urinary tract infectio ns, E.coli and tuberculosis are caused by infections of the lungs and other parts of the body. Bacterial infections include strep throat and impetigo, a skin condition that can be treated with antibiotics that have been created to combat and destroy the specific bacteria causing the infection. Viruses are typically smaller than bacteria and often work by infecting a specific part of a healthy cell, preventing it from doing its work and causing sickness. Influenza and the common cold are two types of common infections caused by bacteria. Sometimes it is worth remembering that bacterial infections occur in coordination or secondary to viral infections, in which case the antibiotic prescribed works to prevent the infection from spreading, while the body is healed through its natural mechanism. The most common types of fungal infection include nail infections, ringworm, athlete’s foot and vaginal yeast infections. Fungal infections are caused either by certain conditions in the b ody or as a result of coming into contact with a person who is so infected. The usual treatment prescribed in this case is oral medication or the application of anti-fungal creams. IV. The Need and Importance of Infection Control We have looked at the different causes of infections and also how they may be spread. The usual method of spreading disease or infection is either