Final answer:
Contact precautions, the first category of transmission-based precautions, includes direct and indirect contact transmission. Direct contact transmission occurs through physical contact between two individuals, while indirect contact transmission involves inanimate objects becoming contaminated. Effective precautions include personal protective equipment, sterilization of objects, and isolating patients.
Step-by-step explanation:
The first category of transmission-based precautions defined by CDC is contact precautions. This can be separated into direct contact and indirect contact transmission. Direct contact transmission involves physical contact between two individuals, for example touching, kissing, or droplet sprays. This can be categorized further into vertical (from mother to child) or horizontal (between two individuals).
Indirect contact transmission, however, involves inanimate objects called fomites which become contaminated by an infected individual. Examples of fomites include doorknobs, towels, and even surgical equipment that are not properly sterilized. Hence, meticulous cleaning and sterilization protocols are crucial in preventing indirect contact transmission.
Precautions required include wearing personal protective equipment, sterilizing objects, and isolating patients with particularly hazardous diseases. Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare personnel implement these methods to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission, protecting both themselves and their patients.
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