Which statement about infection control in aeromedical evacuation is true?

• A. Standard precautions apply to all patients; isolation is only used when indicated.
• B. Isolation is always required for every patient.
• C. PPE is never required in flight.
• D. Hand hygiene and standard precautions are foundational, with isolation when indicated.

Answer: (D)

Infection control in aeromedical evacuation hinges on baseline protective actions that apply to every patient, with additional measures added only when there’s a known or suspected infectious risk. Hand hygiene is the most effective single action, helping to prevent the spread of pathogens in the tight, high-contact environment of an aircraft. Building on that, standard precautions—gloves, masks or eye protection when appropriate, safe handling of sharps, cough etiquette, and proper environmental cleaning—are applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis. Isolation isn’t used for every patient; it’s reserved for cases where isolation is indicated to prevent transmission to crew or other patients.

So the statement that best reflects this approach is that hand hygiene and standard precautions are foundational, with isolation applied when indicated. The other options either misstate the need for isolation or PPE or omit the central role of hand hygiene as the starting point for infection control in flight.