...Question 1 The disease that I choose is Influenza or commonly known as the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever, mild to severe coughs, fatigue, runny nose, headaches, nausea, and soreness of the throat. Influenza is usually self-diagnose by looking at the symptoms however, other viruses could cause symptoms similar to those of the flu. A common test for Influenza is the Rapid Influenza Diagnose Test or RIDT. In the RIDT, a swab is inserted into a patient’s nasal passage way and the swab is rotated to collect samples. The sample put in a tube and mixed with a solution. Then a test strip is placed into the tube to test if it’s positive or negative. The test could provide results in less than 30 minutes but the ability to detect the flu could...
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...Mike is experiencing fatigue, muscle aches, fever, sore throat, and a dry hacking cough. His doctor sees that Mike’s throat is red and inflamed but there are no abnormal sounds in mikes lungs. Currently Mike is suffering from Influenza (flu). Influenza is a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. The signs of influenza that Mike has are cough, high fever, and dyspnea. His symptoms include sore throat, muscle aches, headache, diarrhea, and vomiting. Signs are features observed by medical professionals; symptoms are patient complaints and may be an indirect effect of the pathology. These signs and symptoms along with the fact that he has no abnormal sounds from his lungs are used to diagnosis Mike with influenza (Lescher). Mike’s prognosis is good and he will likely recover within two weeks with rest and abundant fluid intake. Diagnosis are parameters that identify the nature, cause, and effect that explains reasons for symptoms. Prognosis is the likelihood and procedures to resolve a pathology based previous research outcomes. Doctors will not prescribe antibiotics for flu due to the fact that viruses run their courses (the body must fight off the infection itself); this is also true...
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...Influenza is an important public health problem. Annual influenza-related deaths range of 3,000 ~ 49,000 according to recent estimates, and over 200,000 people are hospitalized seasonal influenza every year of respiratory diseases and heart conditions associated with infection. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza infections in hospitalized or possible death. Advisory Committee (ACIP) on immunization practices recommends that everyone receive Annual influenza vaccination 6 months of age. In addition, all health care personnel (HCP) of the US Department of Health and Human Services Immunization (HHS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Health care and other specific recommendations focus on the public health agencies and professional organizations....
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...Topic: Increase the administration of influenza vaccination in the older adult population (age 65 and older). Audience: There are essentially two audiences for this project. First, I will be teaching and presenting to Mercy Home Care nurses on the importance of older adults, age 65 and older receiving the influenza vaccine. In addition, I will educate them on the importance of identifying if Mercy Home Care patients have received the vaccine, explaining the education they should be providing to patients who have not yet received the vaccine and vaccinating patients and their spouses who agree to receive the influenza vaccine in their home. The second audience is older adults in the community (age 65 and older). The educational material I provide to the Mercy Home Care Nurses will then need to be taught to this population in an effort to increase awareness of the need for vaccination and help this population understand the risks for and against vaccination. Providing this education will in turn help increase the administration of influenza vaccination to home care patients. Need to Learn the Topic: To increase the number of individuals, age 65 and older who receive the influenza vaccine each year. Short-term goals: 1. All clients who have not yet...
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...science supports the influenza vaccination. Research studies have been done since the development of the flu vaccine in 1945 and documented as the first vaccinations were given to the soldiers in WWII. Many kinds of influenza vaccination studies have been done by medical research teams including the Center for Disease Control. The Efficacy and effectiveness of influenza vaccines: a systematic review and meta analysis was researched by Michael Osterholm and his associates by reviewing over 5000 studies of the influenza vaccine. Many articles since then have commented on this meta-analysis and have gone further to expand the question of does the flu vaccine decrease pneumonia in the elderly. Results are such that the confounding conditions of the study needed to be adjusted fully and the studies re-evaluated. Another question arises. Does mandatory vaccination of healthcare workers decrease the spread of the flu virus within the hospital. Evidence for consistent high-level protection is elusive for the present generation of vaccines, especially in those at risk of medical complications and those aged 65 years or older. Does Science Support the Flu Shot? Since the discovery of the influenza virus and the subsequent development of the flu vaccine, has there been enough science research to support the effectiveness and efficacy of the flu vaccine? Influenza also known as the flu is a viral infection. The flu is caused by influenza viruses A and B, and...
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...Influenza July 20, 2014 Introduction Influenza also known as “Flu” is a contagious disease that affects mammals and birds. It is a viral disease that is caused by influenza viruses of the family orthomyxoviridae, which affects the lungs, throat, nose and other parts of the respiratory system. Most people tend to confuse influenza with common cold, stomach flu and other flu like illnesses, but influenza is a viral and deadly disease that is characterized with muscle pains, headache, runny nose, sore throat, high fever, colds, fatigue, nasal congestion, dry cough, vomiting and nausea. Different people may exhibit symptoms and signs of influenza differently, but most children tend to vomit and experience nausea when infected with the virus. Although influenza affects people of all ages, young children, pregnant women, people with chronic illnesses and low body immunity and the aged are at a high risk of developing influenza and suffering from its complications. In most cases, children and old people affected with influenza tend to develop and suffer from other risk complications such as ear infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, and other respiratory illnesses (Emmanuel, 2009). Pneumonia is a common complication that develops when the disease is not identified and treated on time thus leading to viral or bacterial pneumonia. Like other infectious diseases, influenza is a viral disease that is transmitted from one person to another through air. In essence...
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...• ^ International Committee on onomy of Viruses. "The Universal Virus Database, version 4: Influenza A". http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ICTVdb/ICTVdB/00.046.0.01.htm. [dead link] 1. ^ a b c d e f "Swine influenza". The Merck Veterinary Manual. 2008. ISBN 1442167424. http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/121407.htm. Retrieved April 30, 2009. 2. ^ [1][dead link] 3. ^ Heinen PP (15 September 2003). "Swine influenza: a zoonosis". Veterinary Sciences Tomorrow. ISSN 1569-0830. http://www.vetscite.org/publish/articles/000041/print.html. "Influenza B and C viruses are almost exclusively isolated from man, although influenza C virus has also been isolated from pigs and influenza B has recently been isolated from seals." 4. ^ Bouvier NM, Palese P (September 2008). "THE BIOLOGY OF INFLUENZA VIRUSES". Vaccine 26 Suppl 4 (Suppl 4): D49–53. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2008.07.039. PMC 3074182. PMID 19230160. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=3074182. 5. ^ Kimura H, Abiko C, Peng G et al. (April 1997). "Interspecies transmission of influenza C virus between humans and pigs". Virus Research 48 (1): 71–9. doi:10.1016/S0168-1702(96)01427-X. PMID 9140195. 6. ^ a b Matsuzaki Y, Sugawara K, Mizuta K et al. (February 2002). "Antigenic and Genetic Characterization of Influenza C Viruses Which Caused Two Outbreaks in Yamagata City, Japan, in 1996 and 1998". Journal of Clinical Microbiology 40 (2): 422–9. doi:10.1128/JCM.40.2.422-429...
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...Influenza in the Elderly Julia Ford, Debbie Garris, Lisa Harper, and Monica Jackson December 20, 2011 Mamie Williams Influenza in the Elderly The Influenza Pandemic of 1918 was responsible for the deaths of more than 50 million people worldwide and is known as a national disaster (CDC, 2011). Even with historical facts about influenza and how easily it is spread, some still refuse to receive the vaccination. Myths and misconceptions about the flu vaccine is the main reason that people refuse to take the flu vaccination. Some of the myths surrounding why people will not take the influenza vaccine include the flu shot can cause the flu, healthy people do not require the influenza vaccine, and the vaccination is a government experiment. Another myth is that working around sick people causes flu immunity. The elderly is one of many populations vulnerable to influenza. Epidemiology as it relates to influenza in the elderly is the topic of discussion for this paper. This paper will make use of the Epidemiological Triangle to explain the disease process of influenza, prevention of the disease, and evaluation of prevention. Definition and Description of Epidemiology Stanhope and Lancanster defines epidemiology as “the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to control of health problems” (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2008, p...
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...Classification Influenza virus are credited as major respiratory pathogens. Influenza viruses belong to the family Orthomyxoviridae which consists of five genera: Influenza virus A, Influenza virus B, Influenza virus c, Thogotovirus, and Isavirus. Annual epidemics are usually caused by influenza A and B viruses, however generally influenza A has asymptomatic infections even .The general classifications of influenza A include 16 HA subtype (H1-16) and nine NA subtypes (N1-9) the classification is generally done based on haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) proteins which are responsible for the antigenic properties of the virus The circulation of influenza A subtypes such as H1N1, H3N2, H2N2, and H1N2 have been observed in the past century...
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...while performing high-risk procedures and the third group wore N95 respirators at all times. Similar to the previous trial, they used the same primary end-points and operational definitions as the previous study: CRI, ILI and PCR- confirmed Influenza. The group added bacterial colonization as a fourth outcome. The average number of participants in each cluster...
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...Mandatory Influenza Vaccinations Review Shumetria Cleveland English 321 Mandatory Influenza Vaccinations Review Introduction Influenza is a highly, contagious virus that affects the respiratory system. It is transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets by an infected person coughing or sneezing. Influenza is much more serious than the common cold and is preventable. Good hand washing, covering your cough, and good health habits will prevent the spread of influenza and other respiratory diseases. It is onset by chills, fatigue, high fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches are some sign or symptoms of influenza often referred to as the flu. The incubation period is one to four days. Each year, influenza causes a significant increase in illness and death. In the elderly, children, patients with chronic illness and immune compromised disease. Once in a while the influenza changes to a severe disease. In the early 1900 there was a pandemic that killed approximately 20,000,000 people. Scientist later discovered the bacterial that causes the virus by testing the blood. Today physicians are able to keep the bacterial infections under control with antibiotics. In 2009 the swine flu epidemic caused illness, stole lives and flashed a light on health care workers to get mandatory influenza vaccinations. Some institutions, for the first time, implemented policies for mandatory influenza vaccines for health care workers due to the escalation of the swine flu...
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...Influenza Disease Linnette Corona Grand Canyon University (NRS-427V) 06/14/2014 Influenza Disease Influenza is an infectious viral disease also commonly known as ‘flu’ that is caused by diverse strains of influenza viruses. The virus belongs to ‘Orthomyxoviridae’ which is a distinct group of virus family. This virus comprises of a single stranded, segmented RNA (Jeffery et. al, 2008). Influenza (flu) virus primarily attacks the respiratory system and is highly transmissible. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC (2014) “the virus may infect the nose, throat and lungs.” The disease can cause mild to severe illness often resulting in hospitalization or death. The viral strains of influenza viruses are constantly changing and appear regularly that are responsible for many pandemics around the world (Taubenberger & Morens 2008). Clinical Course Influenza is a contagious disease; the virus is easily transmitted from person to person via respiratory droplets when infected people cough, talk or sneeze. Another way to get infected with influenza is if the person touches its own mouth or nose after having direct contact with a surface that has the influenza virus (CDC, 2014). The influenza virus may be transmitted one day before the first symptoms start and even up to seven days after getting ill with the flu. In seasonal epidemics, influenza tends to spread rapidly. As reported by the CDC (2014), the infection may seem like...
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...Epidemiology by definition is the study of the distribution and patterns of health-events, health- characteristics and their causes or influences in well-defined populations. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive medicine. Epidemiologists are involved in the design of studies, collection and statistical analysis of data, and interpretation and dissemination of results (including peer review and occasional systematic review).Major areas of epidemiological study include outbreak investigation, disease surveillance and biomonitoring, and comparisons of treatment effects such as in clinical trials. Epidemiologists rely on a number of other scientific disciplines such as biology (to better understand disease processes), biostatistics (to make efficient use of the data and draw appropriate conclusions), and exposure assessment and social science disciplines (to better understand proximate and distal risk factors, and their measurement). I would like to discuss elderly patients as my vulnerable population. There is no set age at which a person maybe under the care of a geriatric physician. The physician aims to promote health by preventing disease and disabilities in geriatric adults. A gerontologist specializes in the aging process. Adult medicine differs from the geriatric patient because the focus is on the elderly...
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...Case-In-Point - Influenza Pandemics Past and Future Julian H. SCI/362 August 9, 2011 D. Lenz Case-In-Point Influenza Pandemics Past and Future “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” (SANTAYANA, 1905) Unintended consequences of humankind’s activities that have led to the spread of the influenza virus during flu season are the lack of dispersing of the vaccine to the poor and homeless, non restriction of travel to or from known areas with high infection rates, and the quarantining of the infected in industrialized areas. Review of the past influenza epidemics and pandemics have shown that the reaction time is far too slow when dealing with such a communicable disease. In the US, the ill are not forced to stay home to prevent the spread of the disease. During the past H1N1 outbreak, travel was not restricted to and from areas with a high infection rate, nor was the border sealed. Scientific or technological activities that are improving the situation are in the area of research and study of influenza. This study has allowed scientists to develop vaccines that often aid in preventing severe illness or death. There are two forms of the vaccine, an inactivated (or killed virus) vaccine delivered via needle intramuscularly, or a weakened live virus delivered via nasal spray. These vaccines are updated every year. Study of influenza is done year round in over 130 national centers in over 101 countries (CDC, 2011) The application of the scientific...
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...and other physical factors is a very important aspect of public health nursing. Epidemiology allows the public health nurse to study and assess vulnerable populations, including the elderly, and create interventions that maximize the health potential of all members of the public. This paper will explore the role of epidemiology and also discuss the definition and purpose of epidemiology, epidemiological methods, the epidemiological triangle and levels of prevention that is related with influenza in the elderly community. Definition and Description of Epidemiology Originally, epidemiology was a term that was used to describe the spread of infectious disease. Over the course of time, that definition has expanded considerably in order to accommodate the complexity of ever-changing populations, their environments, and increasing occurrences of disease. Epidemiology is a branch of public health that studies of the frequency, distribution, and determinants of disease in human populations. It studies the patterns of diseases in human populations and how to control health problems associated with disease. The epidemiologist performs research on epidemics and diseases and can determine how and why certain diseases occur in certain places, and works to find solutions to prevent these diseases. Epidemiology is now defined as the multidisciplinary study of various states of health, causal factors, how these states of health are dispersed across a population, and ways in which the...
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