COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE NURSING
Jeremiah B. Eco, R.N.
Clinical Instructor
DEFINITIONS OF
TERMS
COMMUNICABLE DISEASE
an illness due to an infectious agent or its toxic products w/c
is transmitted directly or indirectly to a well person or animal
or through an agency of an intermediate animal host, vector
of the inanimate environment
RESERVOIR
natural habitat of the organism that is where it resides and
multiplies
SOURCE
site from w/c the organism passes immediately to a host
MODE OF TRANSMISSION
it indicates the potential of the disease; conveyance of the
agent to the host
it can be by common source transmission, contact source,
air-borne and vector borne
HOST
a person or animal or plant upon w/c a parasite depends for
its survival (Patient, Carrier)
ISOLATION (vs. REVERSE ISOLATION)
the separation of persons suffering from communicable
disease or carriers of the infecting organism from other
persons and placing them under such conditions that direct
or indirect transmission to susceptible person is prevented
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS
are infectious control measures designed to protect health
workers form exposure to diseases
INCUBATION PERIOD
the time between exposure to a pathogenic organism and the
onset of symptoms of a disease
ETIOLOGY
all factors that may be involved in the development of a
disease
PROPHYLAXIS
prevention of or protection against disease, often involving
the use of a biologic chemical or mechanic agent to destroy o
prevent entry of infectious disease
PERIOD OF COMMUNICABILITY
refers to a frame of time that a disease is contagious or
transmissible by direct or indirect means
SEQUELAE
any abnormal conditions that follows and is the result of a
disease, treatment or an injury
PROGNOSIS
a prediction of the provable outcome of a disease based on
the condition of the person and the usual course of the
disease as observed in similar situation
PATHOGENICITY
is the ability of a microorganism to produce disease.
PATHOGENS
microorganisms that cause diseases in humans are called.
VIRULENCE