The Main Routes to Infection

The Main Routes Infection can Enter the Body are:

The Main Routes Infection can Enter the Body are:

Body fluids – A body fluid e.g. blood, urine, pus, saliva from one person enters the body of another e.g. through cuts or other means such as sexual intercourse (e.g. syphilis, HIV etc.). Through saliva (e.g. glandular fever). Through contaminated substances entering the bloodstream e.g. tetanus can be contracted through wounds when handling contaminated soil.

Through the air – e.g. tuberculosis. Droplet infections are carried through the air through coughs and sneezes (e.g. common cold, respiratory viruses).

Through touch – Those caught by directly touching the skin/skin to skin contact (these are often referred to as contagious) of someone who has a particular kind of infection such as chickenpox.

Touching an infected object which an infected person has touched e.g. door handles, paper and cooking implements – e.g. Norovirus (winter vomiting infection) can be caught this way.

Through ingestion – contaminated food causes food poisoning (e.g. salmonella and campylobacter) or water (e.g. cholera)

Through bites from other creatures – e.g. infections from dog and cat bites, (e.g. blood poisoning/sepsis) or through parasites e.g. insect bites/stings (e.g. malaria). Insect bites and stings can also cause allergic reactions which are not due to infections but due to toxins which exist in the venom which has entered the body.

If you have a communicable disease (A communicable disease is an illness transmitted through contact with microorganisms) you have a duty to follow a doctor’s advice with regards to attending or returning to work and need to let Active know. The Department of Health lists notifiable diseases. These are infectious diseases which are easily transmitted and there is a duty to report them. It is usually a staff member’s GP who reports such diseases.

Use to answer question 15.1a of the Care Certificate