Strict Isolation

Abstract

Strict isolation: suspected highly infectious and transmissible virulent and pathogenic microbes, highly resistant bacterial strains and agents that are not accepted in any form of distribution in the society or in the environment. Examples are completely resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, viral haemorrhagic fevers like Ebola and Lassa, pandemic severe influenza and coronavirus like SARS, MERS, etc. In most countries, strict isolation is a rarely used isolation regime but should be a part of the national preparedness plan. For instance, in Norway, strict isolation has not been used for the last 50-60 years, except for one case of imported Ebola infection in 2014. Patients in need of strict isolation should be placed in a separate isolation ward or building. Infection spread by contact, droplet and airborne infection, aerosols, re-aerosols, airborne microbe-carrying particles, skin cells, dust, droplets and droplet nuclei. At the same time, it is always contact transmission (contaminated environment, equipment, textiles and waste). The source of infection is usually a patient but may also be a symptomless carrier or a zoonotic disease.