Since last century infectious diseases have been well controlled by immunisation, sanitation, and improved living environment in many countries (Plant & Watson 2008). However, due to the inaccessibility to the clean water and vaccination in some areas, these diseases continue to cause outbreak (Plant & Watson 2008; Moser, Reiss & Schwartz 2015). Infectious diseases may present similar symptoms but distinct patterns. They could have same or different mechanism of transmission, prevention thus are based on their modes of transmission. This essay will be comparing and contrasting varicella-zoster and measles, discussing their similar and pathognomonic signs and symptoms, incidence within Australia and worldwide, transmission and management of spread in healthcare and community settings.
Varicella-zoster and measles are both viral infections, the viruses attach and invade the host cells to replicate and ultimately infect individuals (Lee & Bishop 2013). The diseases can be passed on from one to the other person who are exposed to these viruses without immunity. However, the time course of these two diseases is variable. Measles triggers an acute viral infection and then is self-eliminated (Lee & Bishop 2013), whereas varicella-zoster is persistent, the virus
…show more content…
Both diseases can be spread by airborne means. Measles is spread via the nasal and throat secretions, such as coughing and sneezing, as the virus remains active in the air after secretion (Sabella 2010). Similarly, individuals can be infected by varicella-zoster virus through inhaling the particles of secretion from the infected person. Yet, another primary transmission mode of varicella-zoster virus is by direct contact with the fluid from the infected blisters (Weaver
Shingles, herpes zoster, is a very contagious and painful rash, or blister that appears on the skin. These rashes most commonly appear on the sides of the body in stripes. The stripes are made up of many very painful blisters caused by a certain type of virus. The varicella zoster, most commonly known as the chicken pox virus attacks the nerve roots in that area. The herpes zoster virus is in the herpes family, including HSV, herpes simple virus, which causes cold sores, fever blisters, and genital herpes. (WebMD, 2011) Most people are required to get the chicken pox shot when they are children although some do not. The chicken pox shot helps to keep out the virus by keeping it dormant in the nerves. The varicella zoster virus stays in a few cells; this is how shingles appear suddenly. It appears when the dormant cells become active in the later years of life.
One similarity between smallpox and the black death was that they both established new trade with countries they had rarely traded with before. With smallpox, the Americas were faced with a labour shortage due to the amount of people smallpox had killed. The labour was needed to work in silver mines and sugar plantations.To fill the shortage of labour, slaves were traded from the Guinea Coast, somewhere there was not much trade in before, but now was a bustling center of trade due to the demand for slaves. Similarly, during the black death, there was a shortage of people because of the shrunken population. There were less people buying wool, wine, and cheese, so merchants from Europe sook out customers in different areas. Some such areas were
HSV-1 is spread through saliva and direct contact, such as kissing, sharing eating utensils, sharing drinks or sharing personal items. Children often contract the virus from kissing their parents and coming in contact with other children. HSV-2 is spread through sexual intercourse. HSV must be transported through bodily fluids (saliva, pus, semen, vaginal fluid) to infect cells.3 The virus is transmitted through the mucosal linings of the body or through an open wound and has an incubation period of 2-12 days.4
It began with infection mainly in the blood vessels of the human skin and mouth, resulting in different kinds of symptoms that turn into serious stages. It was spread by physical contact with human skin and mostly affected children and adults. This disease was so outrageous that it led to a vast number of deaths in New England colonies. Also, smallpox virus is transmitted through airborne infection from the oral, nasal mucus of the infected person. But mostly was spread from close contact or contaminated material of the infected person.
Back in the ancient’s time during the pre-historic era as far as 1000 AD this disease was not very much known to people but have said to be found on an Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses V mummy who died in 1157BC (Henderson, Fenner, Arita, Ladnyi, 1988 p 209-210). There was evidence of pustule eruption and rash that have been seen on the mummy similar to the description of a variola virus. Part of the idea of where this disease came from is unknown and where the origin of this disease is very much not clear. This disease that is known to be contagious and deadly at times is called smallpox. The early civilization had believed smallpox was originated from Africa and soon had spread though out the world like China and India (Fenn, 2003).
Pathogens are a type of microorganism that spreads viral and bacterial diseases. These diseases when present in human blood and body fluids are known as blood borne pathogens, and can spread from one person to another. (Worcester polytechnic institute) The most serious types of blood borne diseases are the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which can cause liver damage; and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), which is responsible for causing AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). The blood borne pathogens can be spread when the blood or body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, and amniotic fluid) of an infected individual comes into contact with mucous membranes or an open sore or cut on the skin of another person. Mucus membranes are located in the eyes, nose, mouth, and other areas as well. ("Bloodborne pathogens: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia") Two of the most common ways that pathogens are transmitted is through the exchange of fluids during sexual intercourse or by sharing infected IV needles. (Worcester polytechnic institute)
Recent research shows that, there are three major means by which infections can be transmitted and they include direct transmission, indirect transmission and airborne transmission (Hinman,Wasserheit and Kamb,1995). Direct transmission occurs when the physical contact between an infected person and s susceptible person takes place (division of public health, 2011). An example is a health care worker who attends to an Ebola patient, without gloves, gown and mask plus forget to wash his or her hand with soap and hot water and or a person having flu without the use of mask or washes his hand after sneezing easily passes the infection to the other through hand shake or surface touch, living the bacteria there for another vulnerable person to also touch if the surface is not disinfected with bleach. Studies makes it clear that, the spreads takes effect when disease-causing microorganisms pass from the infected person to the healthy person through direct physical contact such as touching of blood, body fluids, contact with oral secretion, bites kissing, contact with body lesions and even sexual contact. However, measles and chicken pox are said to be conditions spread by direct
Smallpox is an very contagious disease that lasts for about 41 days, 24 of those days are mildly to severely contagious. Variola passes from person to person through contact, prolonged face to face contact, contact with body fluids or scabs from pustules, and in extreme cases the pathogen can become an airborne pathogen. The smallpox virus is passed from human to human and it is not known if any other animals and/or insects can directly pass the variola virus to humans. There have been many cases where people have confused the variola virus with other viruses. For example S Scar Rickettsiella is an deadly disease that is nearly identical to smallpox but it is not as deadly and somewhere on the body a little scar shaped like a S (about the size of an mole) appears on the body. There is one live culture of smallpox kept in America in Atlanta, Georgia in an very secure facility. There is also one kept in Novosibirsk, Russia. Many world leaders fear that the next weapon will be biochemical terrorism. Smallpox can become an airborne pathogen which could cause the greatest amount of damage in a terror attack. From the time the virus enters into...
Viruses can be transmitted in many ways. Being in contact with an infected person will most likely transfer the virus. One can also obtain the virus through swallowing, inhaling, and unsafe sex. Poor hygiene and eating habits usually increase the risk of catching a viral infection. Contracting a viral infection is followed by adverse s...
Understanding the difference between vaccine, vaccination and immunization may be difficult. Even though these words are associated with each other, they have different meanings. According the article basics, a vaccine produces immunity from a disease and can be administered through needle injection, orally, or aerosol. Vaccination is the injection of a killed or weakened organism that produces immunity in the body against the organism. Immunization is the process that produces immunity in the body against that organism. Vaccinations reduce the risk of Polio, Smallpox and Scarlet Fever by operating with the body’s natural defenses to develop immunities to these diseases. Depending on if a parent desires protection from disease or is concerned
Measles Measles is a highly contagious disease. It is caused by an RNA virus that changes constantly. Measles symptoms usually include a bad cough, sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, sensitivity to light, and a very high fever. Red patches with white grain like centers appear along the gum line in the mouth two to four days after the first symptoms show. These patches are called Koplik spots because Henry Koplick first noticed them in 1896.
The virus remains in the tissue for a while after being introduced into the body. As soon as their numbers increase enough, the virus travels throughout the body
Vaccinations are not as dangerous as people make them seem, but not getting vaccinated is. Frances Childs states that “as the number of children who have not been immunized increases, so, too, does the likelihood of measles spreading”. Immunizations work by injecting a small amount of the virus into the patient (both children and adults). The patient’s immune system then builds up antibodies to fight against the virus, thus building immunity against the disease much more effectively. Vaccinations have a 90-100 percent chance of success.
There are 5 main pathways of environmental transmission of pathogens. Those are air-borne, food-borne, water-borne, vector-borne and blood-borne. Air-borne transmission refers to any disease that is caused by a pathogen and transmitted through the air. These pathogens can be spread by coughing, sneezing, stirring dust, liquid spraying, or generally any activity that generate aerosol particles or droplets. These pathogens can include viruses, bacteria, or fungi. Some common examples of pathogens that are spread via air-borne transmission are rhinovirus, hantavirus, adenovirus, and influenza, among many others (cdc.gov).
In Australia in the last ten years more then 137 known people have died and many more fallen very ill from contagious and infectious disease. Diseases such as diphtheria; tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps rubella and Haemophilus influenzae, This is a great tragedy considering all these diseases are easily preventable by immunisation.