Word parts
What it means
How germs move to a new host, one link in the chain of infection. The main routes are contact (direct touch, or indirect through objects), droplet (large drops from coughs and sneezes that travel a short way), airborne (tiny particles that float and travel farther), vehicle (shared food, water or blood) and vector (insects such as mosquitoes and ticks). The word is also used for passing nerve signals, as in nerve transmission.
For the nurse
Break the chain at the transmission step with hand hygieneHAND HY-jeenCleaning the hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.Full entry , cleaning equipment between clients and the right precautions for the germ's route.
At a glance
| Spanish | transmisión |
|---|---|
| Also written | transmissions |
Related terms
hand hygiene
Cleaning the hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub.
droplet
A drop of moisture sprayed from the nose or mouth when a person coughs, sneezes or talks, which can carry germs a short way.
microorganism
A living thing too small to see without a microscope, such as a bacterium, virus, fungus or parasite.
contamination
The presence of germs or harmful substances on something that should be clean or sterile.
isolation
Keeping a client apart from others to stop an infection spreading or to protect them from infection; also, being alone without social contact.