Smear infection

A smear infection is a term from hygiene and describes the transmission of pathogens through touching an object or living being. A distinction is made between direct contact infection , for example skin contact with an infected person or animal, and indirect contact infection when objects contaminated with pathogens are touched .

Direct transmission path

In the event of skin or mucous membrane contact , pathogens can penetrate the portal of entry directly, for example when kissing or during sexual activities. The droplet infection and transmission during pregnancy from the mother to the unborn child are also considered direct contagion; but the latter are not smear infections.

Indirect transmission path

The pathogens get from person to person via contaminated vehicles such as food, objects or drinking water. In the case of endogenous transmission, the pathogens come from the body. The cause of infection is usually a lack of hygienic behavior: By unconsciously touching the nose, mouth or eyes, infectious germs enter the human organism via the mucous membranes; There is also the risk of microorganisms being carried over during medical interventions, for example when a catheter is inserted . Such transmission is largely prevented if the basic hygiene measures are observed.

The situation is different with indirect transmission through so-called vectors such as mosquitoes or ticks , since only insect repellants or appropriate vaccinations have a preventive effect.

Examples

Certain microorganisms or pathogens are mainly transmitted via smear infection (selection):

bacteria

• Clostridioides difficile
• Staphylococcus aureus
• EHEC
• Vancomycin-resistant enterococci

Parasites

• Itch mites

Mushrooms

• Aspergillosis

Viruses

• Adenoviruses
• Hepatitis A virus
• Herpes simplex viruses
• Human metapneumovirus
• Human noroviruses
• Poliovirus
• Rotavirus

With the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 , it cannot be ruled out that it can be transmitted by smear infection.

literature

• Ernst G. Beck, Pavel Schmidt (ed.): Hygiene in hospital and practice . Springer Verlag Berlin-Heidelberg, Berlin-Heidelberg 1986, ISBN 978-3-642-70814-5 .
• Peter Georgi, Elvira Bierbach: Infectious Diseases and Infection Protection Act. 3rd edition, Verlag Urban & Fischer, Munich 2011, ISBN 978-3-437-56772-8 .
• Norbert Suttorp: Infectious diseases: understand, recognize, treat . Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart - New York, Stuttgart 2004, ISBN 313-131691-8 .

Individual evidence

1. ^ Christian Jassoy, Andreas Schwarzkopf: Hygiene, Infectiology, Microbiology. Thieme, Stuttgart 2018, p. 32, ISBN 978-3-13-241368-9 .
2. ↑ Pathogen, structured according to transmission path. RKI, as of October 05, 2015; accessed on March 16, 2020
3. ↑ Federal Center for Health Education: How is the novel coronavirus transmitted? Infektionsschutz.de, as of March 12, 2020, p. 1; accessed on March 13, 2020.