| Hi colleagues |
| This is the latest version of infection control guideline |
| and cleaning procedure instruction |
| And the other one is the response plan |
| for suspected novel / severe emerging infectious disease |
| I understand that many of you are experienced |
| but I still hope you can familiarise yourselves with the contents |
| especially we have a new member here |
| We should look out for each other |
| Prevention of infectious diseases? |
| You mean wearing mask when having a cold? |
| It is not only about mask wearing |
| You also have to wash hands, and wash frequently |
| How about diarrhoea after eating unclean food? Is it an infectious disease? |
| You mean food poisoning? |
| All of you are correct, but infectious diseases are not that simple |
| Let's watch the video to know more |
| Dr Leo Lui, Associate Consultant, Infection Control Branch, Centre for Health Protection |
| Dr Lui, could you tell us more about infectious diseases? |
| KJ, infectious diseases are diseases that can be spread directly |
| or indirectly to humans to cause an infection |
| These diseases are caused by pathogens |
| (including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) invading our bodies |
| The pathogens multiply in the human body and cause damage to normal cells, |
| death can ensue in serious situations |
| These pathogens can be transmitted from an infective source |
| (e.g. patients, animals) to a person through various routes |
| causing the person to be infected and fall ill |
| What are the routes of transmission for an infectious disease? |
| A number of factors must be present simultaneously for a disease to acquire infectivity |
| They include pathogens (i.e. infective microorganisms) |
| source of infection, mode of transmission and susceptible host |
| This process is known as the "chain of infection" |
| Routes of transmission can be broadly categorised as contact, droplet and airborne |
| Certain infectious diseases can be transmitted by more than one route |
| Theoretically, transmission of infectious diseases |
| can be prevented by interrupting the chain of infection |
| Contact is the most common route of transmission |
| Transmission through direct contact refers to person-to-person spread of pathogens |
| via direct physical contact, such as by hands |
| Transmission through indirect contact |
| occurs by coming into contact with contaminated environment or object |
| such as sharing of towel |
| Most of the multi-drug resistant organisms |
| and scabies, which can cause severe skin itchiness |
| are examples that are transmitted by the contact route |
| Droplet transmission occurs when infectious droplets |
| deposit on the mucous membrane of eyes, nose and mouth |
| These particles are usually larger than 5 micrometres in size |
| hence they do not remain suspended in the air for a prolonged period of time |
| and normally do not travel beyond the distance of 1 to 2 metres from the source person |
| When the source person coughs, talks or sneezes |
| the infectious droplets are generated |
| Influenza is an infectious disease transmitted by the droplet route |
| When airborne droplet nuclei (usually smaller or equal to 5 micrometres in size) |
| containing pathogens remain suspended in the air for a prolonged period of time |
| and are inhaled into our respiratory system |
| airborne transmission will result |
| Examples of infectious diseases transmitted by the airborne route |
| include tuberculosis, chickenpox and measles |
| Apart from the 3 routes mentioned |
| other routes of transmission include bloodborne transmission, sexual transmission |
| mother-to-child transmission and vector-borne transmission, etc |