Medical Management of Biological Casualties (MMBC) Online Practice Test

How do airborne and droplet transmission differ in terms of infection control PPE and environment?

Airborne transmission requires masks only; droplet requires respirators and negative-pressure rooms.

Airborne transmission requires respirators like N95/PAPR and negative-pressure rooms; droplet transmission requires masks and standard precautions with eye protection when indicated.

Airborne pathogens stay suspended in the air and can travel on air currents, so infection control relies on respirators that seal to the face (such as N95s or PAPRs) and on environmental controls like negative-pressure rooms with appropriate air exchanges to prevent contaminated air from spreading. Droplet transmission involves larger droplets that travel only short distances and settle quickly, so protection centers on standard precautions with a surgical mask for the wearer and eye protection when there’s a risk of splash or droplets reaching the face, along with gloves and gowns as indicated. This contrast explains why the approach for airborne pathogens uses respirators and negative-pressure environments, while droplets are managed with masks and standard precautions plus eye protection when indicated.

Both require identical PPE and room types.

Droplet transmission requires PAPR only.