...Further efforts; however, have not confirmed rodents as a reservoir. Traces of EBOV were detected in the carcasses of gorillas and chimpanzees during outbreaks in 2001 and 2003, which later became the source of human infections. However, the high lethality from infection in these species makes them unlikely as a natural reservoir. Ebolavirus genomes are approximately 19 kilobase pairs long and contain seven genes in the order 3'-UTR-NP-VP35-VP40-GP-VP30-VP24-L-5'-UTR. The genomes of the five different ebolaviruses differ in sequence and the number and location of gene overlaps. Like all filoviruses, ebolavirions are filamentous particles that may appear in the shape of a shepherd's crook or in the shape of a "U" or a "6", and they may be coiled, toroid, or branched. In general, the median particle length of ebolaviruses ranges from 974 to 1,086 nm, but particles as long as 14,000 nm have been detected in tissue...
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...eventually turns into scabs as the disease progresses. A person who received the chicken pox vaccine can get the virus, but with a mild case of the symptoms such as a low grade fever and less blisters. (CDC 2011) The virus can be spread through the air as when someone who is infected cough or sneezes. The virus can also be transmitted when coming in close contact with someone that is infected. Therefore, an individual who becomes infected would be precaution towards contact, airborne and droplet protocols. A person can be contagious 1 to 2 days prior to visible signs of the virus, such as the blisters showing up. Afterwards, they will remain contagious until the blisters have formed into scabs. Complications to the virus may rise with those that have a weak immune system such as infants or people with HIV/AIDS. Others, such as pregnant woman, are also at a higher risk of complications if coming into contact with the virus. Those complications include dehydration, pneumonia, bleeding problems, infection of either the brain, in the skin, bone, and joints; inflammation of the brain, or toxic shock syndrome. Fatality from the virus can be a result from these complications. Prevention against the disease is mainly in the vaccine. Children are given two doses of the vaccine, one as an infant...
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...surrounding environment. We can check the relation of humans to the environment from three fundamental perspectives. It can take physical, chemical, or biological approaches. Chemical hazards in our environment have significant effects on the health. An example is tobacco smoke that forms the biggest known airborne chemical that has worsened the health status of very many people (HE & W, 2010). The effects can be measured in terms of death rates, ill-health such as cancer and chronic bronchitis, and other diseases of the heart. Airborne pollution arises from a variety of sources that include products of combustion in the industries. Combustion of petroleum products will generate nitrogen and carbon monoxides that pose a huge threat to human health. Many deaths have arisen from such form of poisoning in the environment. We can also study the effect of the environment on our health through analyzing biological agents. There are biological agents that produce health effects through direct infection, while others will take the non-effective forms and harm through allergic means. Bacteria in the environment, such as in water, will find their way into human bodies and cause infections. Clinical wastes form a bigger hazard through redistributing the bacteria, such as in infected needles that have been poorly disposed. Physical hazards may take the example of electromagnetic radiations. Noise and some other physical hazards present a nuisance to the people, and may impair their well-being...
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...acquired through the inhalation of airborne respiratory droplets from an infected host. Chickenpox is primarily acquired during childhood , with more than 90% of all reported cases occurring in children under the age of 10. A person with chickenpox can spread the virus without even showing any signs or symptoms. It is usually most easily transmitted two to three days before a rash appears and keeps that high transmission rate until the blisters have crusted over. The following paper provides a detailed description of Chickenpox and the determinants of health contributing to the development of the disease. The epidemiologic triangle is used to explain the relationships among an agent, a host and the environment. The paper also addresses the role of the community health nurse in Chickenpox management and discusses the role of one national organization in the fight against the spread of Chickenpox. Description of Chickenpox Chickenpox is an infection caused by the Varicella-Zoster virus. It is considered contagious and is characterized by a itchy rash and appears like blisters all over the body . It occurs most frequently in children between the ages of five and eight years old and is transmitted so easily that the majority of the population will catch the disease at some point in their childhood. Chickenpox can be transmitted by coming into contact with an effected persons blisters, exposure to shingles, or through inhalation of airborne droplets exhumed by a person infected...
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...SAFETY HANDBOOK Student’s name Course title Date Safety Handbook Introduction Safety is the state of serenity being devoid of harm or any form of event that may be considered non-desirable. In any type of institution, be it, a business, school, industry, laboratory or even the common workplace, safety plays a major role in ensuring activities run smoothly and no-one gets hurt while doing their job. Safety encompasses protection from a wide host of potential hazards which could be physical, financial, emotional or biological. In the common workplace health is a major concern and infection control is the main aim of a safety handbook. Biosafety in the work setup starts by assuming every individual is a potential source of infection. Basic techniques such as scheduled cleaning of the workplace and regular hand washing by staff go a long way in ensuring infection control and biosafety of workers. All workplaces should ideally possess appropriate safety apparatus e.g. a first aid kit with an employee having necessary expertise in first aid. Provision of necessary safety equipments e.g. gowns, gloves and goggles is also essential in as far as biosafety in the workplace is concerned. General Principles Disease is caused by organisms termed pathogens. There are various pathogens that are located routinely in work setups. These include bacteria, fungi, viruses, prions or protozoa. When these manage to enter your body or attach onto your skin, disease arises. It usually takes...
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...Chickenpox Pamela Nauerth Grand Canyon University April 20, 2014 Chickenpox Varicella infection, commonly known as Chickenpox, is a member of the herpes virus group. Varicella has the capacity to stay latent in the human source. It stays in the sensory nerve ganglia and the recurrent infection is called Herpes Zoster or Shingles. This essay gives the description, causes, symptoms, mode of transmission and the treatment of varicella. It describes the mortality, morbidity, incidence and prevalence of the disease. It explains the determinants of health and how they contribute to the development of varicella. This essay discusses the epidemiologic triangle and how it relates to chickenpox. It explains the role of the community health nurse regarding their case findings, reporting, data collecting, data analysis and the follow-up related to chickenpox. It identifies on great national agency that addresses the virus and describes contributes to resolving and reducing the impact of the disease. Varicella was confused with smallpox until the late eighteenth century. Rudolf Steiner was scientist who discovered that varicella virus was caused by an infectious agent in 1875. Steiner removed fluid from the blisters of chickenpox and put it on the skin of volunteers that were healthy. It resulted in the volunteers to contract the virus (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012). The symptoms of the virus develop about 15 days after being exposed to an...
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...the body from the outside, BBC (2014). Following on from Pasteur’s germ theory, Robert Koch in 1876, proved specific pathogens caused specific diseases, Stevenson (2014). Pathogens are biological agents that take the form of bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa causing infection and illness by challenging our immune system, through killing cells or disrupting the cell function, National Academies (2015). “Only when a microorganism has successfully established a site of infection in the host does disease occur”, Janeaway et al (2001). When working in Mexico, there are certain infectious diseases prevalent, and transmission of these diseases can happen through a variety of methods such as direct contact with other infected humans or animals, indirectly by touching infected objects or via airborne transmission. Reports suggest over one million people die from vector borne diseases every year, such as malaria from mosquitos carrying pathogens from host to host, WHO (2014). Whilst working or travelling, should you succumb to an infection or disease, your body will try to defend itself using non-specific mechanisms, such as mechanical, chemical and biological barriers against pathogens to respond to the infection or disease, Tunkel (2012). However individual behavioural practices, and promotion to others of those practices, can prevent contracting or spreading those infectious diseases. These include frequent hand washing after sneezing or coughing, the use of alcohol based disinfectants...
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...Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare, deadly, viral and often-fatal infection. It is caused by infection with a virus of the family Filoviridae, genus Ebolavirus, by one of the five strains of the Ebola virus. The five Ebola virus species, four of which are known to cause disease in humans: Ebola virus, Sudan virus, Taï Forest virus, and Bundibugyo virus. The fifth, Reston virus, has caused disease in nonhuman primates, but not in humans. Ebola was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since then, outbreaks have appeared sporadically in Africa. Researchers believe that "the virus is animal-borne and that bats are the most likely reservoir", however, the natural reservoir host of Ebola...
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...Athlete's foot (see Dermatophyte) is a common contagious fungal infection of the skin that causes scaling, flaking, and itch of affected areas. Symptoms are caused by fungi such as Epidermophyton floccosum or fungi of the Trichophyton genus such asTrichophyton rubrum[1] or Trichophyton mentagrophytes.[2] This condition is also known as ringworm of the foot,[3] tinea pedis,[3] tinea pedum,[4] and moccasin foot[5]). The disease is typically transmitted in moist communal areas where people walk barefoot, such as showers or bathhouses, and requires a warm moist environment, (e.g., the inside of a shoe) to incubate. The condition typically affects the feet, but may infect or spread to other areas of the body such as the groin and tends to spread to areas of skin that are kept hot and moist, such as with insulation, body heat, and sweat. The fungal agents responsible for infection may be picked up by walking barefoot in an infected area or using an infected towel. Infection can be prevented by limiting the use of occlusive footwear and remaining barefoot.[6] Globally, it affects about 15% of the population Bacteria (i/bækˈtɪəriə/; singular: bacterium) constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a fewmicrometres in length, bacteria have a number of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals. Bacteria were among the first life forms to appear on Earth, and are present in most habitats on the planet. Bacteria inhabit soil, water, acidic hot springs,radioactive...
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...or sneezes. The virus can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours and infect many people who inhale the infectious agent or touch a surface, then be introduced to a new host through touch to the eyes or nose. Once the measles virus (agent) enters a person, he is now a host and harbor the virus. The virus enters its incubation period that can last 10 to 12 days before any symptoms of sickness usually a fever of 103-105 degrees. This incubation period is a communicable stage because the virus can be spread to another before the original victim is even aware of being infected. A few days later the virus (infection) invades the lymph nodes, multiplies, and enters the blood stream. Five to seven days later, the virus is in the respiratory system and the pathological reaction to the infection is now a disease: a cough, runny nose, possible eye infection, followed by spots. These spots are in the mucous membranes and is the first real indication of the measles. Measles has an incubation period of 10-12 days from the first exposure to the virus to development of the rash. The completion of the disease takes from 7 to 21 days. The maculopapular eruption of a rash begins on the hairline and moves to the face and upper neck and slowly down until reaching the hands and feet. The rash disappears the same way it began....
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...Smallpox Causative agent and clinical symptoms Smallpox is a viral infection caused by either Variola Major or Variola Minor. The virus has an incubation period of about 12 days between contraction and its symptomatic manifestation. Like other viral infections, smallpox presents with fever, headache, malaise and prostration, nausea and vomiting. The pre-eruptive stage lasting between day 12-15 presents with visible lesions on the palate, tongue, throat and mouth mucous membranes as the temperatures fall to normal. After the appearance of mucous membrane rashes, the virus attacks skin cells developing a rash within 24-48. The development of these rashes begins with the forehead to the whole face, trunk, and extremities. At this point, the...
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...Woolsorter's disease; Ragpicker's disease; Cutaneous anthrax; Gastrointestinal anthrax Last reviewed: June 9, 2011. Anthrax is an infectious disease due to a type of bacteria called Bacillus anthracis. Infection in humans most often involves the skin, gastrointestinal tract, or lungs. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Anthrax commonly affects hoofed animals such as sheep, cattle, and goats, but humans who come into contact with infected animals can get sick from anthrax, too. In the past, the people who were most at risk for anthrax included farm workers, veterinarians, and tannery and wool workers. There are three main routes of anthrax infection: Cutaneous anthrax occurs when anthrax spores touch a cut or scrape on the skin. • It is the most common type of anthrax infection. • The main risk is contact with animal hides or hair, bone products, and wool, or with infected animals. People most at risk for cutaneous anthrax include farm workers, veterinarians, and tannery and wool workers. Inhalation anthrax develops when anthrax spores enter the lungs through the respiratory tract. It is most commonly contracted when workers breathe in airborne anthrax spores during processes such as tanning hides and processing wool. Breathing in spores means a person has been exposed to anthrax, but it does not mean the person will have symptoms. • The bacteria spores must "germinate" or sprout (the same way a seed might sprout before a plant grows) before the actual disease occurs...
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...Unit 39 - Infection Prevention and Control Kayleigh Smith The cause and spread of infection Mrs Audrey Taylor has been admitted to the ward where you work with MRSA infection in a leg ulcer. She is being treated with strong antibiotics and regular wound dressings. She is being barrier nursed in a side room. Mrs Audrey Taylor’s infection is localised this is because her infection is limited to a specific part of the body; if it was systemic it would be all over her body. MRSA infections are most commonly transmitted from skin to skin contact. MRSA may have also got into her body by having open wounds and not having any dressing on; Audrey could have already had the infection in her body before she had the leg ulcer. It is common that people carry MRSA on the skin, but it is harmless until it has contact with the body. The conditions that bacteria need to grow are warmth, oxygen and moisture. An ulcer has all 3 things that bacteria need to grow so the ulcer would have attracted the bacteria to the leg. Indarjit Singh is 6 years old and has been admitted to the Children’s ward with measles. His mother decided not to give him the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination as she had concerns about a link between the vaccination and autism. He’s quite miserable as he is being looked after in a room by himself. Indarjit’s infection is Systemic, this means that pathogens have spread and damaged the whole of the body. We know this because measles don’t just affect a...
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...Measles is a very contagious virus that has caused outbreaks over decades across the world. In the past six months, Minnesota has had one of the largest outbreaks in the United States. According to the CNN article, The United States had 70 confirmed Measles cases in the year 2016, Minnesota alone has 73 confirmed cases to date.1 This widespread preventable virus is infecting human’s due to the lack of vaccinations against Measles. Measles, also referred to as Rubeola, is caused by the Measles virus, a part of the Paramyxovirdiae family and Morbillivirus genus.3 This virus is contracted by human to human interaction through airborne droplets such as sneezing, coughing, and close contact.3 Measles is known to appear as a respiratory virus presenting...
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...WORLD WAR Z – tackles the rise of a grotesque pandemic which involves an unknown virus that reanimates a deceased human body. These reanimated corpses, in lay terms, are known to modern society as the undead or the “zombies.” The focal point of the allegory centers on Gerry Lane, a former United Nations investigator, who threads through the battle against the pervasive viral infection which might be the end of mankind; wherein our protagonist struggles to find a way to stop this worldly mishap. With general knowledge, we can find some familiar elements related to the infection while some, however, are beyond comprehension. Humans are found out to be the sole host to the virus, although animals are also hounded. Specifically, canines are able to speculate individuals who are not showing signs of contagion despite of infection. One can be infected by means of direct contact with bodily fluids. A zombie’s bite, although by far the most recognizable means of transference is by no means the only one. It is yet unknown if the virus is waterborne or airborne. One who has been contaminated with the virus mutates apace and fully transmogrifies in a mere 12 seconds. The long and short of it draws in another vital character, Dr. Andrew Fassbach, a virologist who confirmed that the plague is indeed a virus, whose origin must be discovered in order to possibly develop any means of cure/vaccine. As Gerry’s odyssey goes, he has formulated a theory which is that the undead do not pursue those...
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