The first link in the chain of infection is the _____________.

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To analyze the chain of infection, we start by listing the components and their roles in disease transmission.
Option 1: 'agent' — This is the infectious organism (bacteria, virus, fungus, etc.) and is traditionally considered the first link in the chain of infection. Without an infectious agent, nothing else in the chain can occur, so identifying the agent as the starting point is conceptually correct.
Option 2: 'mode of transmission' — This describes how the agent moves from one host to another (contact, droplet, airborne, vector, etc.). While crucial for understanding spread, it does not initiate the chain; it is a subsequent link that depends on the presence of an agent.
Option 3: 'portal of exit' — This is the means by which the agent leaves the reservoir (e.g., respiratory tract, blood, skin lesions). It facilitates transmission but presupposes an agent and a reservoir; it is not the initiating link.
Option 4: 'portal of entry' — This is how the agent enters a new host (moist mucous membranes, broken skin). It enables infection but again requires an existing agent and exposure; not the first link.
Option 5: 'new host' — This is the outcome of transmission rather than a step that initiates the chain; it represents the result of the preceding links rather than the starting point.
In summary, the infectious agent is the root cause that starts the chain, with all other links following in sequence to enable transmission and infection. Therefore, the correct starting link is the agent.

HLTED-1-21177-S25 Quiz Ch 10

The first link in the chain of infection is the _____________.

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