Epidemiology and Infection Control

What this unit covers

The unit brings together two linked themes: how disease spreads through populations, and how healthcare settings stop it. Most of the material is aimed at university level, with a good share of professional-style content, such as workplace safety and sterile processing.

Where to start

Begin with the flashcard deck Infectious Diseases and Their Control. It opens with the basics: what epidemiology is, what disease surveillance means and how surveillance is carried out. It also asks what John Snow did, which gives the subject some history. The deck epidemiology and the mind map Disease Surveillance fit well beside it.

Then move on to transmission. The mind map Transmission routes of infectious disease in the tropics splits routes into types, such as mother to child, and gives examples like HIV. The Chain of Infection flowchart and mind map show how the links connect.

Infection control in practice

• Nosocomial Infections flashcards cover consequences, how infections spread and the five moments.
• The mind maps MRSA + C.Difficile_1 and Health Care Associated Infections cover the organisms and settings involved.
• The deck Multi-drug resistant organisms adds the resistance side.
• Several mind maps on hospital control programmes show how a team organises prevention.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a mind map first, then test yourself. The quiz Infection control asks about transmission routes for healthcare associated infection, including spread via medical devices and equipment. The Infection Prevention/Safety/Wellness Test looks at workplace safety rules and the chain of infection. Note what you miss, go back to the matching map, and try again. Teachers can set a quiz as a starter or a check at the end of a lesson.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the Infection and Disease strand of Microbiology and immunology. Open a few resources, see which style suits you, and then make your own maps or flashcards for the gaps you find.