Communicable Disease

Temple College

EMS Professions

Infectious Disease

Produced by invasion of body byBacteriaVirusesFungiOther organisms

Communicable Disease

Infectious disease Transmissible from one infected

organism to another

Transmitted by:

Direct contact Indirect contact Airborne transmission Vehicle transmission (food,

water, needles) Vector transmission (organisms)

Prevention

Maintain good personal health status

Regular physical exams

Prevention

Immunizations for:Tetanus/diphtheriaHepatitis BMeasles, mumps, rubella

TB skin test at least annually

Prevention

Consider immunizations for:InfluenzaHepatitis AChicken pox

Prevention

Wash hands following patient contacts

Wear gloves when contact with human body fluids is anticipated

Wear face mask if patient has productive cough (or put mask on patient)

Prevention

Avoid needle stick (Do NOT recap needles)

Clean up blood spills quickly using bleach solution

Use disposable equipment

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Bacterial infection (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)

Transmitted by droplets Pulmonary TB - cough, infected

sputum, hemoptysis, pleuritic pain)

Tuberculosis

Pulmonary TB Signs/SymptomsCoughInfected sputumHemoptysisPleuritic pain

Tuberculosis

Very low communicability, requires repeated exposure

Mask patients with active TB Routine skin tests; follow-up on

positive reactors

Viral Hepatitis

Hepatitis A

Fecal-oral contact Children, young adults Most infections subclinical or

very mild Does not cause chronic liver

disease or carrier state

Hepatitis B

Parenteral transmission (blood, dirty needles)

Sexual transmission Can cause liver failure, necrotic

cirrhosis Can cause carrier state

Viral Hepatitis

Signs/SymptomsAnorexiaMalaiseNausea, vomitingFeverJoint painDark urine, jaundice

Viral Hepatitis

Vaccine, immune serum globulin available for both A and B

Meningitis

Meningitis

Inflammation of membranes covering brain, spinal cord

Bacteria, viruses, fungi Bacterial forms most serious

Bacterial Meningitis

Signs/SymptomsHeadacheNauseaFeverStiff neckRapid progression to delirium,

coma, seizures

Bacterial Meningitis

Neissera meningitidisPetechiaeEcchymosisSeptic shock

Bacterial Meningitis

Avoid contact with oral secretions Not transmissible by breathing same

air as patient If close contact occurs, Rifampin

600mg bid 2d

HIV/AIDS

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

Viral infection Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Damage to helper T cells suppresses immune system

AIDS

Recurring opportunistic infectionsPneumocystis carini pneumoniaKaposi’s sarcomaCandida albicans

HIV/AIDS

Transmitted by blood, semen, vaginal secretions

Contact with tears, saliva, sweat will not cause infection

Cannot be transmitted by casual contact Wash hands, wear gloves, needle

precautions