Definition of a Communicable Disease Chain

Definition of a Communicable Disease Chain

A communicable disease chain is the process by which pathogen or infectious agent is transmitted to many organisms. There must be an infectious agent, a source of the infection, a channel of transmission as well as host to carry the pathogen. Infective agents include viruses, bacteria, protozoan or fungus. The source of these agents can be the transmission form one host to another, an already infected animal or human, soil, water or air. The means of transmission refers to how the agent is being transmitted. It could be through water, air, physical contact or ingestion. The infective agent needs a host for it to be a complete chain or for it to replicate (“World Health Organization”, 2018).

                                      How a Nurse can break a link in a Communicable Disease Chain

Nurses can break a communicable disease chain by issuing the prescribed antibiotics or any other medications. Further, they should monitor the patient and assess their response to treatment. They must also ensure they do not spread the disease by adhering to proper hygiene guidelines (“World Health Organization”, 2018). For instance, when wound-dressing a patient with a communicable disease, they must ensure they use gloves which should be disposed of immediately after attending to the infected patient. This will help in protecting themselves as well as other patients from getting the infection.