The nurse is taking a health history for a patient who is ill in the emergency room. The patient states that he has not been around anyone that has been sick lately. The nurse suspects the patient likely contracted the illness by indirect transmission. Which is an example of this type of transmission?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Standing next to a person with a varicella (chicken pox) infection: This would be an example of direct transmission or airborne transmission, as varicella can spread through direct contact or inhalation of airborne droplets. B. Utilizing a friend’s computer keyboard: This is an example of indirect transmission, where the illness is spread via a contaminated object (fomite) that was previously used by an infected person. C. Talking directly to someone coughing: This is droplet transmission, which is a form of direct transmission, involving close-range exposure to respiratory droplets from an infected person. D. Walking past an individual coughing and sneezing: This may represent airborne transmission if particles remain suspended, but it still involves direct exposure to infectious droplets in the air, not a contaminated surface.