Which of the following is an example of a reservoir in the chain of infection?

A. Exudate: Exudate refers to the fluid, such as pus or serum, that is discharged from a wound.
While exudate may be present in infected wounds, it is not a systemic response.
B. Pain: Pain is a localized response to tissue injury and may be present in infected wounds, but it is not a systemic response.
C. Hyperthermia: Hyperthermia, or an elevated body temperature (fever), is a common systemic response to infection, including wound infections. It indicates the body's immune response to the infection.
D. Hardening of the tissue: Hardening of the tissue, known as induration, may occur in infected wounds due to inflammation but is not a specific systemic response.

A. "All patients are presumed infectious.": This statement reflects the principle of universal precautions, which assumes that all patients may potentially transmit infectious agents, regardless of their diagnosis or symptoms. It emphasizes the importance of implementing infection prevention practices for every patient encounter to minimize the risk of transmission.
B. "Isolation is not required for most diseases.": While isolation precautions may not be required for all diseases, the statement does not fully capture the concept of universal precautions.
C. "Patients with a known infection are placed in isolation only when they are admitted.": This statement is not accurate as patients with known infections should be placed in isolation as soon as possible to prevent the spread of infection to others.
D. "Patients are not considered infectious until confirmed so by the laboratory.": Waiting for laboratory confirmation before implementing infection control measures could lead to delays in preventing transmission, as patients may be infectious before laboratory results are available.