Resurgent and Emergent Infectious Diseases Catherine T. Horat RN MSN CS C-FNP NUR 410 Community Focused Nursing

Terminology Infectious Contagious Communicable

Modes of Transmission Direct –Immediate transfer of infectious agent from reservoir to host –Requires direct contact EX –Limited to 1 meter or less –EX.

Modes of Transmission Indirect –Infectious agent transported within inanimate materials –Types Vehicle-borne EX. Vector –Nonhuman carrier (animal, insect) »EX

Modes of Transmission Airborne –Droplet nuclei Natural –EX Manmade –EX –Dust EX

Prevention of Transmission Primary –Education EX

Prevention of Transmission Primary –Immunizations introduction of some form of disease-causing organism into person causing an development of antibodies that will resist disease –Vaccine Living fully virulent Killed Living attenuated

Prevention of Transmission Primary –Immunization –EX

Prevention of Transmission Primary –Immunizations EX

Prevention of Transmission Primary –Immunity Herd –Level of immunity present in a particular population –80% –Low –High

Prevention of Transmission Primary Immunizations –Children –Adults –International travelers –Immigrants/refugees

Prevention of Transmission Secondary Two approaches –Screening –Contact investigation/Partner notification/ Case-finding

Prevention of Transmission Secondary –Screening A program that delivers a testing mechanism to to detect disease in groups of asymptomatic, apparently healthy individuals, follow-up to exposure, questionable symptoms Not diagnostic purpose to identify positive or suspicious findings

Prevention of Transmission Reason for screening disease –Is it an important public health problem –Effective and tolerable treatment –Is total cost of screening justifiable compared with costs of treating disease if left undiscovered

Prevention of Transmission Secondary –Screening Test criteria –Validity »Accurately identifies disease

Prevention of Transmission Secondary –Screening

Prevention of Transmission Contact Investigation/Partner notification Reason for discover and notify those who have contact with someone who has a DX communicable disease Prevent further spread Provide treatment Case finding –Unidentified persons –Perform mass screening

Prevention of Transmission Tertiary –Isolation –Quarantine –Safe handling and control of infectious agent

Prevention of Transmission Tertiary –Isolation Separation of infected persons (animals) from others during communicability to limit transmission –Types »Strict »Contact »Respiratory »EX

Prevention of Transmission Tertiary –Quarantine EX

Reporting Laws or regulations developed by individual states that require health care organizations and practitioners notify local health authorities cases of certain communicable or infectious diseases that can be spread

Surveillance Ongoing monitoring Detect changes in the trend or distribution in order to initiate investigative or control measure Detect new or developing problems Systems –CDC –APHA –WHO »Valanis, 1999