BTEC RQF L3 Nationals Health and Social Care Standardisation Material 2021
Unit 9: Infection Prevention and Control
Learning outcome, A: Understand the causes of infections and the transmission of the infection.
Task one
Introduction-
Within this assignment, I will be explaining the causes of infection and diseases and how they are
transmitted and contracted. I will also be explaining how different factors can impact the infection and
what harm it can do to the host.
A.P1 Explain the causes of different infections and the diseases that can result from them.
An infection is caused by invasion and the growth of germs within the body. ‘Infectious diseases are
caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi; the diseases can be
spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another’ (https://www.england.nhs.uk/). There are
many types of infections such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and vector-borne. These infections
impact their host/ surroundings differently, a virus can attack someone's immune system resulting in it
being lowered causing them to become more unwell, antibiotics cannot be used to treat viruses.
Whereas a parasite spends a period of time in their host organism, and it leads to it being divided into
phases of growth, reproduction and transmission. To prevent infections the government has created a
list of ways for individuals to take caution regarding infection prevention and control measures that aim
to interrupt the chain of transmission. ‘These are:
Hand hygiene.
Respiratory and cough hygiene.
Cleaning.
Toileting and sanitation.
Personal protective equipment.
Safe management of the environment.
Safe management of linen and soft furnishings.
Safe management of blood and bodily fluids’ (Preventing and controlling infections - GOV.UK
(www.gov.uk).
Parasite:
A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food and from or at the expense
of the host. The parasite’s impact an individual in different ways a typical side effect of a parasite is
nausea, muscle pain, abdominal pain, weight loss and gastrolienal distress. Some parasites don’t
noticeably affect their hosts however some parasites can grow, reproduce and attack then invade other
organs and systems that can result in their host or individual becoming ill results in a parasitic infection.
A parasite can live in a human body however they are unable to live independently. The life cycle of a
parasite is normally 2-6 weeks, ‘the period of time spent in a host organism can be divided into phases
, such as growth, reproduction and transmission’ (https://www.britannica.com/). Parasites can have both
a direct and indirect cycles a direct cycle is when a parasite spends most of their time in one host
whereas an indirect cycle is when a parasite has a define host and an intermediate host. To prevent a
parasite, it is important that to cook food to the recommended internal temperature, drink clean water,
wash hands and practice safe sex. Examples of parasites are ticks, tape worms, lice, leeches, hook work
(especially common in the UK, especially in children) and fleas (a female flea can lay 2000 eggs).
Bacteria:
The bacteria cell walls form a rigid structure to uniform the cell. Bacteria are small, one- celled creatures
that nutrients from their environments, this allows them to live, this is usually in the human body.
Bacteria can reproduce inside and outside the body, bacteria can also multiply and grow themselves.
Bacteria can be known as harmful however some bacteria can help individuals to digest food.
Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes are the main bacteria located in the metabolism where the undigested is,
they help to digest dietary fiber and polyphenols by a complex metabolic energy- harvesting mechanism,
which is based on cross- feeding and co-metabolism. The infectivity of bacteria can be direct contact, air
and inhalation and the average life cycle of a bacteria is 12 hours. Some bacteria can release harmful
chemicals and toxins which can damage tissue in the body causing an individual to become ill. Bacteria
causes many common infections such as pneumonia, wound infections, sepsis and STD’s.
Fungi:
Fungi are multi- celled plant like organisms, they receive their nutrition from plants, people and animals
and they thrive in damp, warm places. Fungi such as mushrooms are not harmful to people. Fungi are
responsible for breaking down organic matter and releasing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus
into the soil and the atmosphere. Different types of fungi can cause fungal infections, in some cases
fungi that aren't typically found on or inside your body can colonize it and cause infection. However,
some fungi that aren’t normally found on or inside your body can multiply out of control and cause an
infection. Fungi reproduce by releasing spores that can be picked up by direct contact or inhaled. A fungi
life cycle consists of feeding, growth and reproduction until it is treated. Most fungal diseases cause
common infections of the fingernails or toenails.
Virus:
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. A virus
needs to have a host to multiply, it cannot multiply on its own. A virus multiplies by invading the hosts
cells and turns the cells normal function into producing the virus itself. A virus infects its host by air and
direct contact and the life cycle varies depending on the condition that the individual has. Examples of
viruses are AIDS, colds, COVID- 19, Measles and HIV. COVID’s (Corona virus) life cycle begins with
individuals feeling better after a few days or weeks of their first symptoms and it can lead to a full
recovery within 12 weeks, however this varies on the individual and their immune system meaning
symptoms can last longer. Whereas a cold, which is another virus, can last between 7 to 10 days.
Vector bourne:
A vector bourne disease can occur when living organisms ‘transmit infectious pathogens between
humans, or from animals to humans. Many of these vectors are bloodsucking insects, which ingest
disease-producing microorganisms during a blood meal from an infected host (human or animal) and
Unit 9: Infection Prevention and Control
Learning outcome, A: Understand the causes of infections and the transmission of the infection.
Task one
Introduction-
Within this assignment, I will be explaining the causes of infection and diseases and how they are
transmitted and contracted. I will also be explaining how different factors can impact the infection and
what harm it can do to the host.
A.P1 Explain the causes of different infections and the diseases that can result from them.
An infection is caused by invasion and the growth of germs within the body. ‘Infectious diseases are
caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi; the diseases can be
spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another’ (https://www.england.nhs.uk/). There are
many types of infections such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi and vector-borne. These infections
impact their host/ surroundings differently, a virus can attack someone's immune system resulting in it
being lowered causing them to become more unwell, antibiotics cannot be used to treat viruses.
Whereas a parasite spends a period of time in their host organism, and it leads to it being divided into
phases of growth, reproduction and transmission. To prevent infections the government has created a
list of ways for individuals to take caution regarding infection prevention and control measures that aim
to interrupt the chain of transmission. ‘These are:
Hand hygiene.
Respiratory and cough hygiene.
Cleaning.
Toileting and sanitation.
Personal protective equipment.
Safe management of the environment.
Safe management of linen and soft furnishings.
Safe management of blood and bodily fluids’ (Preventing and controlling infections - GOV.UK
(www.gov.uk).
Parasite:
A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food and from or at the expense
of the host. The parasite’s impact an individual in different ways a typical side effect of a parasite is
nausea, muscle pain, abdominal pain, weight loss and gastrolienal distress. Some parasites don’t
noticeably affect their hosts however some parasites can grow, reproduce and attack then invade other
organs and systems that can result in their host or individual becoming ill results in a parasitic infection.
A parasite can live in a human body however they are unable to live independently. The life cycle of a
parasite is normally 2-6 weeks, ‘the period of time spent in a host organism can be divided into phases
, such as growth, reproduction and transmission’ (https://www.britannica.com/). Parasites can have both
a direct and indirect cycles a direct cycle is when a parasite spends most of their time in one host
whereas an indirect cycle is when a parasite has a define host and an intermediate host. To prevent a
parasite, it is important that to cook food to the recommended internal temperature, drink clean water,
wash hands and practice safe sex. Examples of parasites are ticks, tape worms, lice, leeches, hook work
(especially common in the UK, especially in children) and fleas (a female flea can lay 2000 eggs).
Bacteria:
The bacteria cell walls form a rigid structure to uniform the cell. Bacteria are small, one- celled creatures
that nutrients from their environments, this allows them to live, this is usually in the human body.
Bacteria can reproduce inside and outside the body, bacteria can also multiply and grow themselves.
Bacteria can be known as harmful however some bacteria can help individuals to digest food.
Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes are the main bacteria located in the metabolism where the undigested is,
they help to digest dietary fiber and polyphenols by a complex metabolic energy- harvesting mechanism,
which is based on cross- feeding and co-metabolism. The infectivity of bacteria can be direct contact, air
and inhalation and the average life cycle of a bacteria is 12 hours. Some bacteria can release harmful
chemicals and toxins which can damage tissue in the body causing an individual to become ill. Bacteria
causes many common infections such as pneumonia, wound infections, sepsis and STD’s.
Fungi:
Fungi are multi- celled plant like organisms, they receive their nutrition from plants, people and animals
and they thrive in damp, warm places. Fungi such as mushrooms are not harmful to people. Fungi are
responsible for breaking down organic matter and releasing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus
into the soil and the atmosphere. Different types of fungi can cause fungal infections, in some cases
fungi that aren't typically found on or inside your body can colonize it and cause infection. However,
some fungi that aren’t normally found on or inside your body can multiply out of control and cause an
infection. Fungi reproduce by releasing spores that can be picked up by direct contact or inhaled. A fungi
life cycle consists of feeding, growth and reproduction until it is treated. Most fungal diseases cause
common infections of the fingernails or toenails.
Virus:
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. A virus
needs to have a host to multiply, it cannot multiply on its own. A virus multiplies by invading the hosts
cells and turns the cells normal function into producing the virus itself. A virus infects its host by air and
direct contact and the life cycle varies depending on the condition that the individual has. Examples of
viruses are AIDS, colds, COVID- 19, Measles and HIV. COVID’s (Corona virus) life cycle begins with
individuals feeling better after a few days or weeks of their first symptoms and it can lead to a full
recovery within 12 weeks, however this varies on the individual and their immune system meaning
symptoms can last longer. Whereas a cold, which is another virus, can last between 7 to 10 days.
Vector bourne:
A vector bourne disease can occur when living organisms ‘transmit infectious pathogens between
humans, or from animals to humans. Many of these vectors are bloodsucking insects, which ingest
disease-producing microorganisms during a blood meal from an infected host (human or animal) and
