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Which diseases require contact precautions?

  1. MRSA only

  2. MRSA and Clostridium difficile (C-diff) only

  3. Clostridium difficile (C-diff) and TB only

  4. MRSA, Clostridium difficile (C-diff), and TB

The correct answer is: MRSA and Clostridium difficile (C-diff) only

Contact precautions are essential for preventing the spread of certain infectious diseases that can be transmitted through direct or indirect contact with the patient or their environment. In the case of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and Clostridium difficile (C-diff), both require contact precautions due to their ability to survive on surfaces and be transmitted through physical contact. MRSA is a type of bacteria that is resistant to many antibiotics and can cause infections in different parts of the body. It can be spread by touching contaminated surfaces or skin, making contact precautions vital in managing MRSA patients to limit the risk of healthcare-acquired infections. Clostridium difficile is an organism that causes severe gastrointestinal illness, and it is primarily spread via the fecal-oral route. Patients infected with C-diff can contaminate surfaces, and the spores can survive for a long time on inanimate objects. Therefore, stringent contact precautions are necessary to prevent its transmission, particularly in healthcare settings. While tuberculosis (TB) is also a significant infectious disease, it is primarily transmitted through the airborne route rather than through direct contact. TB necessitates airborne precautions due to its ability to be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes, thus requiring a different set of