Which option lists the three modes of disease transmission used in infection control?

• A. Contact, Droplet, and Airborne transmission
• B. Bloodborne, Vector-borne, and Fomite transmission
• C. Direct, Indirect, and Ambient
• D. Mechanical, Chemical, and Biological

Answer: (A)

Three modes of disease transmission used in infection control are contact, droplet, and airborne spread. Contact transmission happens when pathogens move through direct person-to-person touch or via contaminated surfaces and objects (fomites). Preventing this relies on thorough hand hygiene, gloves, and regular cleaning and disinfection of the environment.

Droplet transmission involves larger respiratory droplets expelled when a person talks, coughs, or sneezes that travel short distances and can infect mucous membranes or the eyes of someone nearby. Controlling it involves wearing masks or eye protection and maintaining some distance between people, along with appropriate patient placement.

Airborne transmission involves tiny particles that stay suspended in air and can travel longer distances, especially in inadequately ventilated spaces. Prevention requires specialized respiratory protection, like appropriately fitted respirators, air-flow controls, and negative-pressure rooms to isolate the source.

The other groupings mix concepts that aren’t the standard trio used to describe how infections spread in healthcare settings, so they don’t align with the common framework for infection-control planning.