Transmission of pathogenic human diseases can occur in many different circumstances. One mode of transmission of interest to humans is the transmission of microbes on surfaces. A transmission surface can range from a doorknob to our own hands. Non-living surfaces involved in the transmission of microbes are called fomites. Passive vectors are very diverse and can be essentially any non-living surface capable of spreading disease through microbial transmission. Skin and fomites are two of the most common means of disease transmission between humans and are leading causes of nosocomial infections (Clause 2018). Nosocomial infections are the result of microbial transmission causing infection within a medical facility such as a hospital or doctor's office. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay. These infections often occur in patients at the facility who are already ill, which can make them immunocompromised. This can significantly increase a patient's risk of death or the time they spend in the facility. This is why fomites and nosocomial infections are problems of concern. The two types of nosocomial infections are endogenous and exogenous infections. Endogenous infection usually results from opportunistic organisms infecting a weakened immune system, as endogenous infections are caused by an individual's personal microflora. Exogenous infections, on the other hand, are caused by pathogens present in the patient's external environment. These infections are often caused by transmission through hands or fomites. Exogenous nosocomial infections are easier to prevent than endogenous infections because transmission through hands and fomites is easy to combat using appropriate sterilization and cleaning techniques (Muran & Inam 2016). The aim of this experiment is to better understand fomites and the role they play in transmission, as well as nosocomial infections. This is achieved by testing the effectiveness of handwashing in preventing the transmission of pathogenic Serratia marcescens. If the experiment is performed correctly, students should have a clear understanding of the effectiveness of hand washing against pathogen transmission. Methods: The experiment required equipment to begin, including: Serratia marcescens culture broth, 2 agar plates containing nutrients, sterile gloves. and cotton swabs, hand soap and a doorknob. The procedure is simple and begins with assigning a number to each student, starting with number 1 assigned to the first student and number 12 to the twelfth student. Each student obtained 2 agar plates containing nutrients and labeled them with their assigned number and labeled one plate. “before” and the other plate “after”. Next, each student placed a sterile glove on their right hand and took care not to touch any surfaces with their fingers. An independent party used a cotton swab to apply a generous amount of Serratia marcescens culture to the doorknob. After culture application, Student 1 was asked to grasp the doorknob and rub his fingers on the agar plate labeled “before” immediately after grabbing the doorknob. After that, Student 1 washed his gloved hand and rubbed his fingers on the plate labeled “after” after washing his glove and drying it with a sterile paper towel. The same procedure »..