Week 3 presentations

Question 1

What is an infectious disease?

Answer 1

-According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), an infectious disease is
a dysfunction in the body caused by contagious and harmful microbes that enter the body
and multiply.
-Microbes include bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.
- These germs can spread from person to person, animal to person, or through contaminated food, water, or surfaces.

Question 2

What are the 3 steps of a vaccine working?

Answer 2

1) Introduction of Antigens
2) Immune System Activation
3) Memory formation

Question 3

Differentiate between COVID-19 Vaccines and MMR vaccines

Answer 3

1) COVID-19: Vaccines like the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) have genetic instructions for
making the virus’s spike protein
2) The MMR vaccine uses a weakened form of the virus to train the immune system.

Question 4

Myth: Vaccines can cause autism.
1) Where did this come from?
2) Why is it a myth and not fact?

Answer 4

1) 1999: From there, an article was published speculating the effect that autism is a “form of vaccine-induced mercury poisoning.” in DTaP, HIB, and Hep B
2) 2004: “In its eighth and final report, the panel unanimously determined that there was no evidence of a causal relationship between either MMR or thimerosal and autism, no evidence of vaccine-induced autism in ‘‘some small subset’’ of children, and no demonstration of potential biological mechanisms

Question 5

Myth: The vaccine will give me the disease.
1) Where did this come from?
2) Why is it a myth and not fact?

Answer 5

1) Live vaccines, also known as “attenuated,” which in rare cases can cause minor forms of the disease.
2) While it’s not entirely myth, as you can have a mild form of it, “it’s almost always much less severe than if a child became infected with the disease-causing virus
itself.” The risk of this happening is also very small. And it is important to note that most vaccines are “dead bacteria, which are impossible to get the disease from.”

Question 6

Myth: The COVID-19 vaccine can be transferred via blood transfusion.
1) Where did this come from?
2) Why is it a myth and not fact?

Answer 6

1) Popped up again during COVID pandemic
2) While it is possible to screen for this vaccine due to antibodies, when it comes to the effects of transfusing blood from a vaccinated individual to a non-vaccinated patient the effects are limited to none. According to America’s Blood Centers, because the COVID-19 vaccine is not a live-vaccine it cannot replicate within the blood. Further, the FDA does not suggest collection of information because it does not affect the viability of the blood.

Question 7

Vaccine schedules:
1) At birth
2) 2 months

Answer 7

1) At birth: Hep B (3 doses prior to 16 mo)
● 2 months:
○ DTaP (6 total doses)
○ Rotavirus (2-3 doses)
○ Hib (3-4 doses)
○ Pneumococcal conjugate (4 doses)
○ Inactivated poliovirus (3 doses

Question 8

Vaccine schedules:
1)

Answer 8

1) 6 months: Influenza & Covid-19: (annual
vaccine)
● 12 months:
○ MMR & Varicella
○ Hep A (2 doses 6 months apart before 2yr)
● 12 yrs:
○ HPV
○ Meningococcal (2nd dose at 16)

Question 9

Adult vaccine schedules:

Answer 9

Annual: Influenza & Covid-19
● 19+:
○ TDaP, then Td or TDaP booster every 10
years or for wound management
● 50+: shingles (2 doses) (or 19+ w/ weak
immune system)
● >/= 75 yrs: RSV

Question 10

Adult vaccine schedule: what lack documentation or lack evidence of immunity?

Answer 10

○ MMR: 1-2 doses on indication
○ Varicella: 2 doses
○ HPV (2-3 doses)
○ Hep B (2-4 doses)
○ Inactivated poliovirus (3 dose series

Question 11

Define vulnerable populations

Answer 11

Those that have an increased risk of infection due to geographic location, lifestyle, immunosuppression, or pre-existing conditions.

Question 12

Recommended vaccines by health condition:
1) Diabetes
2) Cardiovasc. disease
3) HIV
4) Liver disease

Answer 12

1) Diabetes: pneumococcal vaccine
2) Cardiovascular disease: pneumococcal vaccine
3) HIV: Hep A, Hep B, meningococcal conjugate, pneumococcal, & shingles vaccines
4) Liver disease: Hep A, Hep B, pneumococcal vaccines

Question 13

Recommended vaccines by health condition:
1) Liver disease
2) End-stage renal disease
3) Asplenia
4) CD4 count >200

Answer 13

1) Lung disease: pneumococcal vaccines
2) End-stage Renal disease: Hep B & pneumococcal vaccines
3) Asplenia: Hib, pneumococcal, & meningococcal vaccines
4) CD4 count >200: varicella & MMR vaccines

Question 14

Describe some lifestyle factors that make you a vulnerable population, and what vaccines are recommended

Answer 14

1) International travel
2) Healthcare workers: Covid-19, Flu, varicella, Hep B, meningococcal, MMR, Tdap/Td
3) Pregnancy: Tdap (between 27-36 weeks) + UTD on flu, covid-19, and Hep B

Question 15

Define herd immunity

Answer 15

Herd immunity is a population condition where the spread of a disease is difficult within the
community/population because the individuals are immune. One of the reasons to increase herd immunity is
vaccination.

Question 16

Between ____________ and _________________, there was a rise in the number of measles cases and this was seen
in unvaccinated patients or patients with unknown vaccination status. This is under control now
“because of high population immunity, the risk of widespread measles transmission in US remains low”
(Pacheco-García & Serafín-López, 2023).

Answer 16

Jan 2020 and march 2024

Question 17

Infectious diseases can be prevented at the individual level through vaccination and eventually at the population level through ______________ and _____________

Answer 17

herd immunity and eradication.

Question 18

How do vaccines help protect the body from diseases?

Answer 18

Vaccines introduce harmless components of a pathogen, prompting the immune system to produce
antibodies and memory cells.

Question 19

What would be an appropriate solution in achieving herd immunity but at the same
time not challenging choices of people that don’t want vaccines?

Answer 19

It may be hard to achieve overall immunity in the community but some good practices for natural
immunity can be exercise, proper nutrition and hygiene practices.

Question 20

How often as an adult should you receive a Tdap or Td booster?

Answer 20

Every 10 years

Question 21

What is an antibiotic?

Answer 21

Medication that treats a bacterial infx by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria

Question 22

What are some common antibiotic side effects?

Answer 22

Rash
Nausea
Diarrhea
Yeast Infx

Question 23

How does the extensive use of antibiotics affect our microbiome?

Answer 23

-Changes in microbiota can lead to infx/disease
or pathogen/overgrowth
-Antibiotics kill “bad” bacteria AND our “good” bacteria; reduce # and diversity of microorganisms in our bodies

Question 24

True or false: your microbiome recovers after antibiotic use, but is permanently altered

Answer 24

True

Question 25

What is antibiotic resistance?

Answer 25

When bacteria develop the ability to survive exposure to antibiotics designed to kill or inhibit their growth. This makes infections caused by resistant bacteria harder to treat, requiring alternative medications or higher doses, which may be less effective, more toxic, or both.

Question 26

Give examples of resistant pathogens

Answer 26

-Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA),
-Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE),
-Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE),
-Multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB)

Question 27

List some causes of antibiotic resistance

Answer 27

1) Misuse/mismanagement of antibiotics
2) Poor infection control and prevention protocols in healthcare facilities
3) Poor hygiene and sanitation
4) Agricultural overuse
5) Lack of access to affordable medications, vaccines, and diagnostics

Question 28

Antibiotic resistance is a threat to global health prompting various laws and regulations aimed at reducing its impact; list and describe 2

Answer 28

1) PASTEUR Act of 2021: The Pioneering Antimicrobial Subscription to End Upsurging Resistance Act was introduced to establish a program focused on developing antimicrobial innovations targeting the most challenging pathogens and threatening infections
2) 21st Century Cures Act: the law provides the FDA with mechanisms to review and approve new antibiotics efficiently thereby encouraging the development of treatments for resistant infections

Question 29

FDA’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Policies and CDC’s Reporting Requirements both do what?

Answer 29

Aim to reduce antibiotic resistance

Question 30

Define antibiotic stewardship

Answer 30

the effort to measure and improve how antibiotics are prescribed by clinicians and used by patients

Question 31

What are the goals for antibiotic stewardship?

Answer 31

1) Regulate administration and use of antibiotics using The 5 “D’s”: drug, dose, drug-route, duration, de-escalation
2) Prevent overuse
3) Reduce resistance
4) Diminish adverse effects
5) Improve patient outcomes
6) Education

Question 32

List ways we can help prevent antibiotic resistance

Answer 32

1) Antibiotic stewardship
2) Take antibiotics as prescribed
3) Promote vaccination
4) Practice proper hygiene and sanitation
5) Use safe food practices
6) Improve regulations and monitoring of the spread of antibiotic resistance globally