What type of precautions should be used for patients highly susceptible to infections, such as those with leukemia?

Expanded precautions are designed to provide an additional layer of protection for patients who are highly susceptible to infections, such as those with leukemia or other immunocompromised conditions. These precautions typically include both standard precautions and additional measures tailored to prevent the transmission of infections that can be particularly harmful to these vulnerable patient populations.

Standard precautions are a foundational aspect of infection control, applied universally to all patients to reduce the risk of transmission of pathogens. However, for individuals with weakened immune systems, they are often not sufficient on their own. Expanded precautions may involve enhanced environmental cleaning, restricting visitors, and specific practices like wearing masks or using specialized airflow rooms to minimize exposure to airborne pathogens.

In contrast, contact precautions and droplet precautions are specific measures that address certain types of transmissible infections. Contact precautions focus on preventing the spread of pathogens through direct or indirect contact, while droplet precautions aim to prevent the transmission of infections spread through respiratory droplets. While useful for certain infections, neither of these would cover the comprehensive needs of highly susceptible patients without the additional safeguards provided by expanded precautions.