What to do if you have an infectious disease at home

If there is a suspicion of an infectious disease or when the diagnosis of an infectious disease is not in doubt (after visiting the patient by a physician), it is necessary to immediately isolate the patient .

At home, the infectious patient should be placed in a separate room, and if this is not possible, shield his bed with a screen or curtain the sheet. Contact with others should be limited .

With airborne infections in the room where the patient is, you need to tightly close the door to another room.

Persons caring for a patient are required to wear a mask of several layers of gauze. When intestinal infections draw attention to washing hands after the toilet and before meals, disinfection of vomit, door handles, personal items, children's toys, etc. Measures are being taken to combat flies.

Family members of patients with contact-blood infections should strictly follow the rules of personal hygiene with the individualization of all its subjects (combs, toothbrushes, loofers, towels, shaving instruments, etc.). Sexual partners are advised to use mechanical contraceptives.

It is much easier to provide isolation for patients with infections of the outer layers. It is necessary that patients and their clothes do not come into contact with healthy people.

DISINFECTION

Disinfection or disinfection is a complex of special measures aimed at destroying pathogens of infectious diseases in the external environment and interrupting the transmission routes of the infectious beginning.

Disinfection is divided into prophylactic and focal. A special service is involved in the conduct of preventive disinfection in order to work at water supply facilities, sewage systems, in enterprises that procure raw materials of animal origin, in places of constant concentration of people, etc. Focal disinfection is carried out in foci of infections, i.e. At the place of residence or work of the sick person. Employees of out-patient and polyclinic institutions are involved in its implementation.

Focal disinfection may be ongoing, which is carried out in the environment of the patient, and the final, carried out in the hearth after his recovery, hospitalization or death.

For those infections, which patients can be treated at home (see section "What infectious patients are treated at home and in the hospital), current and final disinfection is performed by relatives of the patient (after appropriate instruction by specialists).

Current disinfection provides for a permanent disinfection of the patient's discharge (excrement, vomit, sputum, urine, etc.), household items, personal belongings, etc.

Final disinfection always requires special care. It is considered timely when carried out for 6 hours in cities and 12 hours in rural areas.

For disinfection various physical, chemical and other methods are used.

Mechanical methods of disinfection.

Mechanical methods of disinfection are most simple and accessible. This sweeping, cleaning, shaking, washing all sorts of items with frequent water changes, wet cleaning, ventilation and ventilation of premises, use of vacuum cleaners to remove microorganisms from various surfaces, filtering air and water. These methods can only reduce the number of microbes.

The effect of disinfection increases if mechanical methods are combined with boiling, soaking in disinfectants.

Boiling is a simple, affordable and reliable way of disinfecting objects that do not deteriorate in boiling water. It is widely used for disinfecting dishes, spittoons, boats, linens, towels, bathrobes, food rests.

Most bacteria die in boiling water or instantaneously, or for 2-5 minutes. Some viruses (hepatitis B, C), anthrax spores die only after 60 minutes, tetanus spores in 3 hours, and botulinum spore spores in 6 hours. The disinfecting effect of boiling water is enhanced by adding a 2% solution of baking soda or soap.

Heating to high temperatures leads to the death of all microorganisms, including spore forms. This is used for rapid disinfection of metal objects in the form of calcination over the flame of a gas burner, a burning tampon moistened with alcohol. So you can decontaminate the pelvis, metal objects (scissors, tweezers, nippers, etc.).

Fire is used to burn contaminated items that are not of value: waste paper, rubbish, rags, bandages, etc.

Ultraviolet rays (UVL) have a great bactericidal ability. The inclusion of ultraviolet lamps should be carried out strictly according to the schedule, so that at home everyone is aware of this, because ultraviolet rays can cause painful phenomena - acute conjunctivitis, skin burn. The light from the lamps goes to the ceiling or walls.

The sun's rays have a good disinfecting effect, which depends mainly on the ultraviolet part of their spectrum. On sunny days it is advisable to hang the patient's underwear on the street.

Chemical methods of disinfection are the main methods of disinfection in the care of patients. Currently, the market is full of various imported disinfectants. Each drug is accompanied by detailed instructions. A number of chemical products are available that are affordable, low-toxic, relatively cheap and convenient for use at the patient's bedside.

Chlorine lime is a white crystalline powder with a sharp smell of chlorine. The decontaminating effect of bleach is due to the release of chlorine. Chlorine lime is used for disinfection with intestinal, airborne infections, zoonoses, tetanus. It is used in the form of dry powder, 20% solution of suspended matter (chlorine-lime "milk"). Dry powder is used to disinfect feces, vomit, sputum. It does not make much sense to use dry bleach for staining rooms, paths, floors. Chlorine lime is added in the proportion of 1 / 5-1 / 10 of the volume of the disinfectant substrate, after which it is mixed with it. Chlorine-lime "milk" when standing gives a sediment. The supernatant (clarified solution) is stored for up to 5 days. From it prepare working solutions with a concentration of 0.5% to 10%, depending on the volume of the upcoming disinfection. Time for disinfection with dry chlorine lime feces for at least 2 hours, food residues - 1 hour. Disinfection with clarified 0,5% - 10% chlorine lime solution can be carried out by wiping with rags (plastic, wooden toys, care items, etc.) with an exposure of 45-60 minutes, after which these subjects are poured by running water. Permitted for sale to the public.

The two-terreous calcium chloride salt (DTSGK) is a preparation similar to chlorine lime, but containing up to 50% of active chlorine. Can be stored for a long time (2-3 years). It is used in the form of clarified solutions of 0.1% -15% concentration, as well as bleach.

Chloramine (BHB) is a white or slightly yellowish powder with a faint smell of chlorine. Contains up to 30% of active chlorine. Can be stored at home for years, without reducing its activity. In contrast to chloric lime, chloramine does not destroy tissues, paints. It is used as a solution of 0.2% -10% concentration for disinfection of hands, brushes, tableware, etc.

Dezam. Powder of white or yellowish color with the smell of chlorine. Contains 13% of active chlorine, does not spoil disinfecting items. Stable, shelf life 12 months. It is active against various bacteria and viruses. Malotoxic. Applied in a concentration of 0.25% -1% with an exposure of 15 minutes to hours. Permitted for sale to the public. The solution is prepared at the rate of 1 tablespoon (25 g) per 5 liters of water.

Dichloro-1. The powder is white or slightly yellow in color with a faint smell of chlorine. The preparation contains potassium salt of dichloroisocyanuric acid (7% in terms of active chlorine). It is active against many bacteria and viruses. Apply 1-2% solutions with an exposure of 15-20 minutes in particular for the disinfection of laundry. Malotoxic. Permitted for sale to the public.

Chlorcine. Powder of white color with the smell of chlorine. The active ingredient is the sodium and potassium salts of dichloroisocyanuric acid. Shelf life 12 months. It is active against bacteria and viruses. Malotoxic. Apply 0.5% -1% solutions with an exposure of 1-2 hours. Do not spoil the disinfected items. Permitted for sale to the public. Malotoxic. At home, at the rate of 2 tablespoons (50 g) for 5 liters of water.

Hydrogen peroxide is a colorless, transparent, odorless liquid. Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizer, due to which it destroys microorganisms. It is used for decontamination in the form of 1% -2% solutions with an effect on bacteria. Solutions of hydrogen peroxide are unstable, stored no more than 2 days, it is better that the temperature of the solution is about 50 C, then the activity of hydrogen peroxide increases. It is used for washing wounds, rinses, disinfecting dishes, etc. Paints exposed to hydrogen peroxide may discolour. Hydrogen peroxide in a concentration of 1% -2% is allowed for sale to the public.

Ethyl alcohol is used most often in 70% concentration. Used for disinfecting the skin with injections, sterilizing tweezers and other instruments.

Substances used for chemical disinfection are toxic. All the disinfectants listed here can be used in a hospital. At home at the infectious patient's bed, those drugs that are allowed for sale to the public are used: bleach, dezam, dichloro-1, chlorcine, hydrogen peroxide in 2% solution. When using chemical disinfectants, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions given to the preparation.