My disease is Streptococcal pneumonia or pneumonia is caused by the pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. Streptococcus pneumoniae is present in human’s normal flora, which normally doesn’t cause any problems or diseases. Sometimes though when the numbers get too low it can cause diseases or upper respiratory tract problems or infections (Todar, 2008-2012). Pneumonia caused by this pathogen has four stages. The first one is where the lungs fill with fluid. The second stage causes neutrophils and red blood cells to come to the area which are attracted by the pathogen. The third stage has the neutrophils stuffed into the alveoli in the lungs causing little bacteria to be left over. The fourth stage of this disease the remaining residue in the lungs are take out by the macrophages. Aside from these steps pneumonia follows, if the disease should persist further, it can get into the blood causing a systemic reaction resulting in the whole body being affected (Ballough). Some signs and symptoms of this disease are, “fever, malaise, cough, pleuritic chest pain, purulent or blood-tinged sputum” (Henry, 2013). Streptococcal pneumonia is spread through person-to-person contact through aerosol droplets affecting the respiratory tract causing it to get into the human body (Henry, 2013).
This pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae, is a gram-positive coccus that is long shaped and usually seen in groups of pairs (Todar, 2008-2012). This pathogen ranges from o.5-1.25 micrometers, which is pretty small in size (Todar, 2008-2012). It “lacks catalase and ferments glucose into lactic acid” (Todar, 2008-2012). To grow this bacterium in the lab the best way to do it would be to grow it on a blood agar at 37 degrees Celsius and produces a green zone arou...
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...y infections that could cause short term or long term unneeded damage. For this reason doctors and health care professionals are recommending that all people of all ages to get theses vaccines (University of Maryland Center, 2014). Other ways to prevent this disease are to simply keep clean and be aware of good hand hygiene (University of Maryland Center, 2014). By washing your hands with antimicrobial soap and warm water with friction, most bacteria are killed. Doing this prevents organisms from potentially getting inside your body.
Concerning the morbidity rate of Streptococcal pneumonia I have learned that as a cumulative total, this disease was more prominent in 2012 but not by much. I also learned that the incident values for this disease were all over the place, up and down, but in the end both 2012 and 2013 ended up with the same amount right on the dot.
Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) are preventable and pose a threat to hospitals and patients; increasing the cost, nominally and physically, for both. Pneumonia makes up approximately 15% of all HAI and is the leading cause of nosocomial deaths. Pneumonia is most frequently caused by bacterial microorganisms reaching the lungs by way of aspiration, inhalation or the hematogenous spread of a primary infection. There are two categories of Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (HAP); Health-Care Associated Pneumonia (HCAP) and Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).
Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) is a very common hospital acquired infection, especially in pediatric intensive care units, ranking as the second most common (Foglia, Meier, & Elward, 2007). It is defined as pneumonia that develops 48 hours or more after mechanical ventilation begins. A VAP is diagnosed when new or increase infiltrate shows on chest radiograph and two or more of the following, a fever of >38.3C, leukocytosis of >12x10 9 /mL, and purulent tracheobronchial secretions (Koenig & Truwit, 2006). VAP occurs when the lower respiratory tract that is sterile is introduced microorganisms are introduced to the lower respiratory tract and parenchyma of the lung by aspiration of secretions, migration of aerodigestive tract, or by contaminated equipment or medications (Amanullah & Posner, 2013). VAP occurs in approximately 22.7% of patients who are receiving mechanical ventilation in PICUs (Tablan, Anderson, Besser, Bridges, & Hajjeh, 2004). The outcomes of VAP are not beneficial for the patient or healthcare organization. VAP adds to increase healthcare cost per episode of between $30,000 and $40,000 (Foglia et al., 2007) (Craven & Hjalmarson, 2010). This infection is also associated with increase length of stay, morbidity and high crude mortality rates of 20-50% (Foglia et al., 2007)(Craven & Hjalmarson, 2010). Currently, the PICU has implemented all of the parts of the VARI bundle except the daily discussion of readiness to extubate. The VARI bundle currently includes, head of the bed greater then or equal to 30 degrees, use oral antiseptic (chlorhexidine) each morning, mouth care every 2 hours, etc. In the PICU at children’s, the rates for VAP have decreased since the implementation of safety ro...
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains to be a common and potentially serious complication of ventilator care often confronted within an intensive care unit (ICU). Ventilated and intubated patients present ICU physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists with the unique challenge to integrate evidence-informed practices surrounding the delivery of high quality care that will decrease its occurrence and frequency. Mechanical intubation negates effective cough reflexes and hampers mucociliary clearance of secretions, which cause leakage and microaspiration of virulent bacteria into the lungs. VAP is the most frequent cause of nosocomial infections and occurs within 48 hours of intubation. VAP is a major health care burden with its increased morbidity, mortality, longer ventilator days and hospital stay, and escalating health care cost.
Streptococcus pyogenes, also known as Group A streptococcus (GAS), is a β-hemolytic, Gram-positive bacterium that most commonly causes respiratory disease, including pharyngitis or tonsillitis, as well as skin infections such as impetigo and cellulitis. The organism is transmitted via respiratory droplets or by contact with fomites, and commonly infects young children. In addition to the common clinical presentations associated with S. pyogenes, some individuals develop the postinfectious sequelae of rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis. Due to the severity of these medical consequences, prophylactic antibiotic use is often recommended for any patients with otherwise mild S. pyogenes infections (21).
Each day researchers are finding out about vaccines and are realizing that there are a lot more risks than benefits. Dr Phillip F. Incao explains: “Today, far more children suffer from allergies and other chronic immune system disorders than from life-threatening infectious disease. It is neither reasonable nor prudent to persist in presuming that the benefits of any vaccination outweigh its risk” (qtd in Spaker). While infectious diseases are becoming uncommon there is no need for any person to get vaccinated. There have been many issues surrounding vaccinations all around the world.
...es of Pertussis each year4; this number has drastically decreased since vaccinations against this illness were implemented into the health care system.
In patients infected with K. pneumonia, inflammatory mechanisms can cause tissue damage that is related with a release of “alarm proteins” (Achouiti, 2012). These alarm proteins are known as the Damage Associated Molecular Patters (DAMPs) and are seen in neutrophils where they potentially affect up to 45 percent of the cytoplasmic protein (Achouiti, 2012). This is harmful because it inhibits the body’s ability to fight the infection, as neutrophils are the body’s natural immunity defense.
Klesbiella pneumonia is omnipresent in nature meaning it has two common habitats, one being the environment, where they are found in water, sewage, soil and on plants and the other being the mucosal surfaces of mammals such as humans, horses, or pigs, where they colonize. [2] In humans, however Klebsiella is present in the nasopharynx and in the intestinal tract where it resides living off of growing and decaying matter. [2]. The detection rate of Klebsiella bacteria in stool samples ranges from 5 to 38%, while rates in the nasopharynx can range from 1 to 6%.[8][9] Because gram-negative bacteria growth conditions are limited on the human skin Klebsiella are rarely found there and are considered as transient members of the human flora.[1] These carrier rates change drastically in the hospital environment, where colonization rates increase in direct
(Faddis). Many other doctors agree that vaccines are extremely safe and the best possible way to
Streptococcus pyogenes is thought to live benignly within one in five people, and is thusly one of the most common pathogens among humans. Due to its common
Whooping cough, also known as Pertussis, is called the “whooping cough” because after people with this infectious disease cough severely, they gasp for air which sounds similar to a whooping sound. People afflicted with this disease often find have trouble breathing, eating, or sleeping because they have to cough so much. People may cough so severely that their face may turn purple or red. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after being infected with whooping cough, around 6% of adults have passed out while around 4% have fractured ribs because of the severe coughing. Currently, there are around 16 million cases per year worldwide of people being infected with Whooping cough, most of those being in developing countries. Of those, 195,000 cases result in death.
Chronic bronchitis is a disorder that causes inflammation to the airway, mainly the bronchial tubules. It produces a chronic cough that lasts three consecutive months for more than two successive years (Vijayan,2013). Chronic Bronchitis is a member of the COPD family and is prominently seen in cigarette smokers. Other factors such as air pollutants, Asbestos, and working in coal mines contributes to inflammation. Once the irritant comes in contact with the mucosa of the bronchi it alters the composition causing hyperplasia of the glands and producing excessive sputum (Viayan,2013). Goblet cells also enlarge to contribute to the excessive secretion of sputum. This effects the cilia that carry out the mechanism of trapping foreign bodies to allow it to be expelled in the sputum, which are now damaged by the irritant making it impossible for the person to clear their airway. Since the mechanism of airway clearance is ineffective, the secretion builds up a thickened wall of the bronchioles causing constriction and increasing the work of breathing. The excessive build up of mucous could set up pneumonia. The alveoli are also damaged enabling the macrophages to eliminate bacteria putting the patient at risk for acquiring an infection.
What is Pneumonia? Pneumonia is the inflammation of the pulmonary parenchyma. It can be caused by both bacterial and viral antigens, the most common being H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae. The infection causes the air sacs in the
The key to preventing most of these infections and diseases is properly washing my hands and knowing when to wash them. I can’t see germs with my naked eye, so I wash them when they are dirty, before, during, and after food preparation, before I eat, after using the restroom, touching soiled clothing, animals, animal waste, the trash, or sneezing, coughing, and blowing my nose, and before and after treating wounds and sick people. There is more to washing my hands than soap and water. I must scrub all surfaces of my hand, including my wrist, the back of my hand, between my fingers, and under my fingernails for at least twenty seconds. The combination of scrubbing and an antibacterial soap helps to remove germs. Then I rinse my hands in warm water, drying them well with a clean hand towel, paper towel, or air dryer. If soap is unavailable, I use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control the best way to prevent transmission of diseases is to frequently wash your hands with soap and water and or use an antiseptic. If soap and water is not available then it is recommended that you should use a hand sanitiser that has at least 60% effective alcohol content inside it.”The CDC ...