# Infection --- **Infection** is a [[disease]] that results from the presence of a [[pathogen]] in or on someone's body. The best way to prevent infection is to maintain [[asepsis]], especially in a hospital setting where there is a risk of acquiring an [[healthcare associated infection|HAI]]. These can be very dangerous, which is why it is a huge focus for [[nursing|nursing]]. An infection is caused when there is a colonization, but not all colonizations are necessarily considered infections. This is true of our [[normal microbiota|normal flora]], such as [[Escherichia coli|E. coli]] when it is in our intestines (where it lives). A **fomite** is an object or material that is likely to carry infection, such as clothes, utensiles or furniture. ## Cycle of Infection The **cycle** or **chain of infection** is a series of events that need to take place in order for an infection to happen. 1. **Infectious agent**: Although there is no real "start" to a cycle, in order for there to be an infection, first there must be the agent that causes it. 2. **Reservoir**: The [[epidemiology#Disease Reservoirs|disease reservoir]] is where the organism lives and multiplies. 3. **Portal of Exit**: This is where the organism from the reservoir can leave it. 4. **Means of Transmission**: This is how the organism gets from the reservor to the new host. 5. **Portal of Entry**: This is how the organism can get into the new host. 6. **Suseptible Host**: Pathogens can only infect someone if there is someone there to infect. ![[chain of infection.png]] ___