Patient Zero

The difference between an epidemic and a pandemic is _______________ Bellwork: Tues. April 3, 2018 The first person to bring a viral or bacterial infection into a population is called ________ _______ Why is it important to find out who this person is? _____________________ The difference between an epidemic and a pandemic is _______________ http://www.cdc.gov/osels/scientific_edu/ss1978/lesson1/section11.html

An epidemic occurs when an infectious disease spreads rapidly to many people. In 2003, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic took the lives of nearly 800 people worldwide. A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. HIV/AIDS is an example of one of the most destructive global pandemics in history.

Index case, or patient zero: the central patient in an epidemiological investigation. Often scientists search for the index case to determine how the disease spread. The index case is the first patient that indicates the existence of an outbreak. Earlier cases may later be found.

In the early years of the AIDS epidemic, Dr In the early years of the AIDS epidemic, Dr. William Darrow and colleagues at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the US compiled what they thought to be a likely scenario for the disease’s transmission. This epidemiological study identified a man who had given HIV to multiple partners, who then in turn transmitted it to others, and rapidly spread the virus around the world (Auerbach et al., 1984). In all, at least 40 of the 248 people diagnosed with AIDS by April 1982 were thought to have had sex either with him or with someone who had.

CDC Headquarters in Atlanta Georgia

A journalist, Randy Shilts, subsequently wrote about Patient Zero -- based on Darrow's findings -- in his 1987 book And The Band Played On. For several years, the man identified in the book as patient zero was vilified as a "mass spreader" of HIV and the original source of the HIV epidemic. However, four years after the publication of Shilts's book, Dr. Darrow repudiated his study, admitting that its methods were flawed and claiming that Shilts had misrepresented the study's conclusions.

Whooping Cough A serious respiratory infection caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. The infection causes violent, uncontrollable coughing that can make it difficult to breathe. While whooping cough can affect people at any age, it can be deadly for infants and young children.

Outbreaks have increased since the 1980s, particularly among teens and infants. In 2010, an outbreak in California resulted in the illness of 9,477 and caused the death of ten infants (California Department of Public Health, 2010). This was the biggest outbreak of whooping cough since 1945. http://www.webmd.com/children/pertussis-whooping-cough-10/slideshow-prevent-pertussis

Purpose The lab will model virus transmission and epidemiological studies to identify the “Patient Zero”, or index case of a viral outbreak. Materials 1 baby food jar of “body fluids per student 1 pipette per student 1 lab sheet per student And: Water Diluted NaOH solution Phenolphthalein (pH Indicator) with dropper

Carefully take your jar of “body fluid” and a pipette. “exchange body fluids” with 3 partners. To exchange fluids, each partner puts one pipette’s worth of their body fluid into the partner’s cup. Both partner’s do this for one exchange to be complete. Immediately write down who you exchange fluids with! Return to your seat in the front once you have exchanged fluids with 3 partners. Enter your name and who you exchanged fluids with on the chart on the smart board

Your Name Name of Contact 1 Name of Contact 2 Name of Contact 3   7. You should have filled out your chart like the one above, and the class chart on the smart board. 8. Now, I will go around the room and “test” who is positive for the virus. Then we will add the “+’s+ and “-’s” to the Class Chart

Now, working together, try to figure out who is “Patient Zero” Now, working together, try to figure out who is “Patient Zero”. This is, of course, is very simplified. Most viruses are more difficult to work with in the real world due to the multiple modes of transmission, window period, etc.