The Need for Infection Prevention and Control [IPC]

Infection prevention and control (IPC) practices are important in maintaining a safe environment for everyone by reducing the risk of the potential spread of disease.

IPC is a practical, evidence-based approach which prevents patients and health workers from being harmed by avoidable infection. It is relevant to health workers and patients at every single health-care encounter.

Biosafety measures along with Universal Precautions like hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, safe injections, respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette is important in IPC to address the safe handling and containment of infectious microorganisms and hazardous biological materials.

IPC is essential in TB as:

1. specific population groups have a higher risk of acquiring TB infection and progressing to disease once infected; these groups include people living with HIV, health workers and others in settings with a high risk of transmission of M. tuberculosis

2. incident cases of TB among children (aged <15 years) reflect ongoing community transmission

3. primary person-to-person transmission of drug-resistant TB (as opposed to acquired resistance) is the dominant mechanism sustaining the global transmission of drug-resistant TB

4. to prevent TB transmission, interventions are needed that reduce the concentration of infectious particles in the air and the exposure time of susceptible individuals

Resources

1. Guidelines on Airborne Infection Control in Healthcare and Other Settings.

2. WHO guidelines on tuberculosis infection prevention and control 2019 update (https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/311259/9789241550512-e…)