Ebola Flashcards
nosocomial infection
result of treatment in a hospital/healthcare service, secondary to patient’s original condition
why is ebola not serious
wasn’t leading cause of death during outbreak - massive health care challenges in Africa = we can treat/prevent other diseases (diarrhoea, malaria, HIV/AIDS)
ebola is caused by
ebolavirus = highly virulent + high mortality rate
infection to symptoms 5-10 days
symptoms to death 7-14 days
acute disease
rapid onset or short duration or both
types of ebolavirus
Zaire, Sudan, and Restone
how does ebola infect you
attack WBC - distributed around body
infect endothelial cells - line blood vessels
=kills them and cause to detach
how can you treat ebola virus
replace fluids and hydrate patients
Marburg virus
the causative agent of Marburg hemorrhagic fever
what is the reservoir host for Marburg virus
fruit bats
is ebola a good weapon for terrorism
high fatality - very virulent
not contagious - infected people die very quickly (not likely to cause epidemic - would not sustain in population)
why is ebola more likely in African countries
funeral ceremonies - more contact with dead bodies
hospital system - few facilities/supplies/crowded increase patient contact
why does R0 increase in hospitals
increase:
contact per unit time
transmission probability
duration of infectiousness
controlling ebola
quarantine
barrier nursing
contact tracing
safe funeral practices
how is ebola transmitted
The Ebola virus is transmitted among humans through close and direct physical contact with infected bodily fluids, the most infectious being blood, feces, and vomit
The Ebola virus can also be transmitted indirectly, by contact with previously contaminated surfaces and objects.
why is the Reston ebolavirus dangerous
transmitted via air from person to person
ebola vaccine difficulties
- ebola = RNA virus (high mutation rate)
- zoonotic disease (unknown reservoir species cancels herd immunity)
- low financial incentive
- vaccine research = diffcult as dangerous virus
- vaccine side effects may exceed disease mortality
iatrogenic
disease(infection) caused a result of medical procedures such as surgery, catheterization
Semmelweis Reflex
tendency to reject new evidence/ideas - because it contradicts established norms/beliefs
how can we reduce nosocomial infections
wash hands
fomite
non-living object/substance capable of carrying infectious organisms = transferring them from one individual to another
factors contributing to nosocomial infections
there isn’t always time for hygiene
many different workers pass through
many patients are immunocompromised
very high rates of antibiotic use
the general trend of antibiotics
introduced = effective
hospital = first place for resistance
resistant strains spread
occurs more quickly now
staphylococcus aureus
infection more likely in carries
death more likely in non-carriers
MRSA
methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus
evolved to survive treatment with beta-lactam antibiotics, including penicillin =superbug
VRSA
vancomycin-resistant staphylococcus aureus
strain that has become resistant to the glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin
why is vancomycin not used in hospitals to treat
inconvenient - IV drip
expensive
side effects
biosafety lab levels
- do not cause human disease
- moderate hazard (measles/HIV)
- serious/lethal disease (Tb/SARS)
- fatal disease-no cure (ebola)
