Using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a critical way to break the chain of infection by creating a physical barrier that prevents infectious agents from reaching a susceptible person.
## Understanding the Chain of Infection
To understand how PPE works, it helps to know the links in the chain of infection:
1. **Infectious Agent:** The pathogen (like bacteria or virus)
2. **Reservoir:** Where the pathogen lives and multiplies (e.g., a person, animal, surface)
3. **Portal of Exit:** How the pathogen leaves the reservoir (e.g., cough, sneeze, wound)
4. **Mode of Transmission:** How the pathogen travels from the reservoir to the host (e.g., airborne, droplet, contact)
5. **Portal of Entry:** How the pathogen enters the new host (e.g., mouth, nose, eyes, break in skin)
6. **Susceptible Host:** A person likely to get infected
## PPE as a Barrier Against Transmission and Entry
According to the reference, **when used properly, PPE acts as a barrier between infectious materials such as viral and bacterial contaminants and your skin, mouth, nose, or eyes (mucous membranes)**. This directly disrupts two key links in the chain: the *mode of transmission* and the *portal of entry*.
Here's how PPE breaks the chain:
* **Blocking Transmission:** PPE physically separates you from the infectious agent. For example, a mask blocks respiratory droplets, gloves block contact with contaminated surfaces or body fluids, and gowns prevent contamination of clothing and skin. The reference highlights that this barrier **has the potential to block transmission of contaminants from blood, body fluids, or respiratory secretions**.
* **Protecting Portals of Entry:** By covering areas like your mouth, nose, eyes, and skin, PPE prevents infectious agents from entering your body through these common routes. This directly protects your **skin, mouth, nose, or eyes (mucous membranes)**, as mentioned in the reference, which are common portals of entry for pathogens.
## Practical Examples of PPE and Their Role
Different types of PPE are designed to protect against specific modes of transmission and portals of entry:
| Type of PPE | What it Protects | How it Breaks the Chain |
| :---------- | :---------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Gloves** | Hands | Blocks contact transmission from surfaces or body fluids. |
| **Masks** | Mouth and Nose | Blocks droplet/airborne transmission and portal of entry. |
| **Eye Protection** (Goggles, Face Shields) | Eyes | Blocks droplet/splash transmission and portal of entry. |
| **Gowns/Aprons** | Clothing and Skin | Blocks contact transmission to the body and clothing. |
| **Respirators** (e.g., N95) | Respiratory System | Filters airborne particles, blocking transmission/entry. |
By using the appropriate PPE correctly, individuals create a physical barrier that prevents infectious materials from reaching them, effectively interrupting the chain of infection before it can establish itself in a new host. This is a fundamental principle in infection control, particularly in healthcare settings but also in public health situations.
