Communicable Diseases Flashcards
Infectious diseases
illness caused by specific microorganism
Communicable disease
infectious disease transmitted from one person to another
endemic
diseaes with a relatively high but constant rates of infections in a particular population
epidemic
the number of new infections exceeds the normal number of infections
pandemic
an epidemic that spreads across continents or world wide
Portal of exit
how pathogenic agent leaves infected host to invade another: genitourinary tract GI tract resp tract skin (open wounds)
Modes of transmission
direct contact
indirect contact
food or waterorne
airborne
susceptibility to communicable diseases
age genreal health status immune status cultural behaviours sexual behaviours enviornmental and geographical conditions
nosocomical infections
people who arrive at hospital catch infections they did not have prior to admission due to the large amount of bacteria and infections in a hospital
MRSA
methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus infections
resistant to antibiotics
symptoms ot MRSA
redness, swelling, pain, pus, area hot to touch, boils, abscesses, cellulitis
malaise, febrile, rigors, SOB, dizziness secondary to hypotension
Those most at risk of MRSA
people with weak immune systems young children elderly people stayng or working in health care people who spend time in enclossed high population density areas
Meningococcal
bacterial infection leading to sepsis with the causative organism being neuisseria meningitis
signs and symptoms of meningococcal
neck stiffness/joint pain altered conscious state headache photophobia febrile N+V tachypnoea tachycardia hypotension purpuric rash
Paramedic Management of Meningococcal
PPE
Ceftriaxone
notify recieving hospital
notify DTM for follow up of possible staff exposure
HIV/AIDS
causes AIDS
progressive deficiency of immune cells, activation and immune response
Transmission of HIV
blood and bodily fluids sex placenta/breast milk direct contact with infeted body fluid or blood blood transfusion transplanted tissues and organs needle stick injuries
Risk factors of HIV
high sexual behaviour
IV drug use
blood or blood product transfusion
infants born to HIV positive mother
HIV attacks vital immune cells:
CD4 cells
helper T cells
macrophages
dendritic cells
HIV to AIDs
on entry to cell the RNA is converted into double stranded DNA by the viruses reverse transcriptase enzyme
the enzyme integrase incorporates the viral DNA into the permanent makeup of the host cell
Signs and symptoms of HIV
elevated viral load
acute infection - fever, rash, malaise, oesophageal abrasians and lesions
latency
AIDS
when CD4 cell numbers reach a critically low level and CMI is completely depleted
opportunistic infections ensue: resp compromise, rashes, ulcerations, tuberculosis, pneumonia
Influenza
a virus that has a segmented genome
can interact with other influenza viruses when a single person is co-infected with both types of viruses
Signs and symptoms of flu
fever, cough, congestion, aches, fatigue, headache, nausea and vomiting
Transmission of flu
person to person occurs prior to onset of symptoms
direct
airborne
hand to mouth, eye, hand
Tuberculosis
an infection caused by aerobic bacterium myobacterium tubulerulosis
Transmission of tuberculosis
droplet formation -coughing, sneezing, yawning, talking
intro into the lungs leads to infection of the resp system which spreads to other organ systems
Patho of tuberculosis
infectious droplets reside in airways
the majority of the bacilli are trapped in the upper airways where the mucous goblet cells exist
mucous produced catches foreign substances, and the cilia on the surface of the cells constantly beat the mucous and its entrapped particles upward for removal
bacteria in droplets that bypass the mucociliary system and reach the alveoli are engulfed by alveolar macrophages
macrophages phagocytise pathogens without requiring previous exposure to the pathogens
symptoms of tuberculosis
a cough that lasts for more than 3 weeks fevers unexplained weight loss night sweats extreme lethargy loss of appetite blood stained sputum/cough
SARS
severe acute resp syndrome
transmitted by dropets from coughing
symptoms of SARS
2-7 days flu like symptoms
fever often greater than 38, malaise, headache, rigors, body aches, greater than 7 days cough, dyspnoea, diarrhoea
oxygen desaturation
Hepatitis B
transmitted by mucous membrane or percutaneous exposure to blood/body fluids
signs and symptoms of hep b
loss of appetite nausea and vomiting pain in the liver due to inflammation fever pain in joints jaundice can progress to chronic hep B leading to cirrhosis
Management of Hep B
supportive care for acute symtpoms antiemetic fluid pain relief removal of clothing, placing pt in cooler environment
Hep C transmission
hep C blood transfusions, blood products, organ transplants drug use perinatial hep C positive mother sexual contact NO VACCINE
Symptoms of Hep c
loss of appetite fatigue N+V pain in the liver due to inflammation fever pain in joints jaundice
Hep D
co infection of super infection of Hep B
you need to have acute or chronic hep b to have hep D
Hep E
transmitted by faecal oral route, contaminted food and water
full recovery most often occurs
Symptoms of Hep E
loss of appetite fatigue N+V pain in the liver fever jaundice dark urine
Chicken Pox
caused by varicella zoster virus
highly contagious
Reye Syndrome
potentially fatal illness with unknown cause leading to brain and liver damage
may lead to multisystem organ failure
Symproms of CHicken pox
red vesicular rash followed by low grade fever , lethargy and headache in children
headache, nausea, anorexia and muscle aches in adults before rash and fever
vesicular lesions with erythematous borders
Chlamydia
caused by bacterium chlammydia trachomatis
often called silent STI
transmitted through unprotected sex
Gonorrheoa
transmitted orally, vaginal, anal
can lead to PID if untreated
Symptoms of gonnhoea
dysuria, urethritis, purulent gential discharge
genital herpes
symptoms vesicles or papules on the vulva or penis that burst resulting in shallow painful ulcerative lesions
can cause headache, malaise, fever, anorexia
If possible exposure to communicable disease:
complete hazard/injury/illness form (HII) or incident report form
notify DTM
follow up with review with UHG/local GP where required
if extended period of time off required complete workcover documentation
