4.2 Describe the causes and spread of infection.

Qualification: Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care
Unit: Promote Health, Safety and Wellbeing in Care Settings
Learning outcome: Be able to reduce the spread of infection.
Assessment criteria: 4.2 Describe the causes and spread of infection.

• Infection is when pathogens enter an individual’s body
• Pathogens can be organisms such as bacteria, viruses, worms, parasites etc.
• For an infection to spread, the pathogen must have:
  • A reservoir to breed (e.g. in the throat etc.)
  • A portal of exit (e.g. mouth etc.)
  • A mode of transmission (e.g. coughing etc.)
  • A portal of entry (e.g. another individual’s mouth etc.)
  • A susceptible host (e.g. an individual etc.)