In infection control, what best describes a carrier?

In infection control, what best describes a carrier?

• A. Exhibits symptoms but cannot spread disease
• B. Exhibits no symptoms but can spread disease
• C. Exhibits no symptoms and cannot spread disease
• D. Has recovered and cannot be infected again

Answer: (B)

A carrier is someone who harbors a contagious organism and can spread it to others even though they have no symptoms. They may be in an incubation period or have an asymptomatic infection yet remain capable of transmitting the pathogen. This is why infection control emphasizes preventing transmission from carriers through diligent hand hygiene, appropriate precautions, and screening when applicable. The other descriptions don’t fit because symptoms with no spread would contradict contagiousness, no symptoms with no spread describes a non-infectious state, and having recovered with immunity describes being protected from reinfection rather than ongoing carriage.

A carrier is someone who harbors a contagious organism and can spread it to others even though they have no symptoms. They may be in an incubation period or have an asymptomatic infection yet remain capable of transmitting the pathogen. This is why infection control emphasizes preventing transmission from carriers through diligent hand hygiene, appropriate precautions, and screening when applicable. The other descriptions don’t fit because symptoms with no spread would contradict contagiousness, no symptoms with no spread describes a non-infectious state, and having recovered with immunity describes being protected from reinfection rather than ongoing carriage.