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Article: Infection Control
- Article from:
- World of Microbiology and Immunology
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Infection control
Microorganisms
are easily transmitted from place to place via vectors such as insects or animals, by humans that can harbor the infectious organism and shed them to the environment, and via movement through the air (in the case of some
bacteria
,
yeast
, and
viruses
). Microorganisms can adapt to antimicrobial treatments (the best example being the acquisition of inheritable
antibiotic resistance
by bacteria). Thus, the potential for the spread of infection by disease-causing microbes is substantial unless steps are taken to limit the spread. Such strategies are collectively termed infection control.
For many microorganisms, particularly bacteria, contact ...