All patients should be handled using standard precautions. Additional precautions may be warranted for patients presenting with certain clinical syndromes, pending identification of the causative organism.
|
Syndrome |
Clinical Features |
Empiric Precautions |
|
diarrhea |
infectious diarrhea in an incontinent or diapered patient |
contact |
|
|
diarrhea in adult with a history of recent antibiotic use |
contact |
|
meningitis |
|
droplet |
|
generalized rash or exanthem |
petechiae or ecchymoses with fever |
droplet |
|
|
vesicular |
airborne and contact |
|
|
maculopapular with coryza and fever |
airborne |
|
respiratory infection |
cough, fever and upper lobe pulmonary infiltrate in HIV negative patient |
airborne |
|
|
cough, fever and pulmonary infiltrate in any lung location in HIV positive patient |
airborne |
|
|
paroxysmal or severe persistent cough during period of pertussis activity |
droplet |
|
|
bronchiolitis or croup in infant or young child |
contact |
|
possible drug resistant organism |
|
contact |
|
skin or wound infection |
abscess or draining wound that cannot be covered |
contact |
after Table 2, page 944, Abrutyn 1998
Specialty: Infectious Diseases
ICD-10: ,
