One way to maintain resistance to infection?

• A. Controlling or reducing the extent of infection
• B. Vaccinating every patient
• C. Increasing antibiotic usage for all patients
• D. Keeping patients quarantined forever

Answer: (A)

Reducing the extent of infection in a setting is the most effective way to maintain resistance to infection because it lowers the infectious reservoir and cuts off routes of transmission. When infection is controlled through practices like rigorous hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, proper use of personal protective equipment, rapid isolation of contagious individuals, and prompt treatment, fewer people are exposed and infected. This collective effect protects everyone in the environment and preserves overall resistance.

Vaccinating every patient is valuable in many contexts, but it isn’t always feasible or applicable for every pathogen, so relying on vaccination alone cannot guarantee universal protection. Increasing antibiotic usage for all patients promotes antimicrobial resistance and can cause harm without effectively sustaining community resistance. Keeping patients quarantined forever is not practical or ethical and would not be a sustainable or balanced approach to maintaining infection resistance.