...The influenza virus, as stated by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services (2004), is a severe communicable respiratory disease that has three alternate types as well as a variety of strains, where common symptoms across the board include fever, headache, muscle pain, lethargy, nasal congestion, sore throat and cough. Other symptoms, particularly in children, may also include gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. These symptoms when severe can lead to potential death. Contributing to its communicability are the reservoirs of the virus. Primarily, influenza is known to be harboured in humans, making them the primary reservoir. However, recent research has evoked suspicion of animals also having the ability to act as a reservoir for new arising influenza strains. This of which is assumed to occur when humans and animals live in close proximity to each other resulting in increased interspecies contact. Furthermore, the influenza virus is in general transmitted from person to person through direct contact with respiratory aerosols and secretions from an...
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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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...Epidemiology paper Grand Canyon University 09/13/15 Influenza is a viral type of infection. Most people refer to it as the “flu”. Many also think of it as a stomach flu or cold. Actual influenza is much different. Influenza virus is not a virus that usually causes diarrhea or vomiting. The influenza virus can spread to other individuals up to 6 feet away. People spread droplets in their respiratory secretions through talking, coughing and sneezing. Influenza can also be spread by touching a surface with a droplet on it and then touching your nose or mouth. There are also several types of animals that can carry influenza virus. Influenza takes a few days for individuals to have signs and symptoms. Because of this influenza can be passed to other people before a person know that they are ill. Influenza can be an A or B virus. Each year there can be different types of strains of the virus that come in fall and winter time. Most average healthy people will get better from influenza without difficulties. There are a group of individuals who are more at risk for complications than others. Woman who are pregnant, the elderly, those with immunity problems and the young. When you visit your doctor, urgent care or Emergency Room they can order an influenza test that is just a quick nasal swab. The results can be obtained fairly quickly. In the ER where I work we keep a copy of all influenza A and B results. These are sent to the public health nurse. According to the CDC, “Mortality...
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...Clinical Situations Position Paper Kelli B. Teems University of West Georgia Professional Nursing Concepts (Nurs 4102) Professor J. Wilder, MSN, NP-C April 7, 2015 Part 4 – Immunity and Health Policy Vaccination has been known to provide immunity to a variety of illnesses, including influenza. To minimize influenza-related deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that vulnerable people and health care workers (HCW) be vaccinated against influenza annually (van den Dool, Bont, Hak, Heijne & Wallinga, 2008). A topic of debate between HCWs and healthcare facilities is the discussion over whether annual influenza shots should be mandatory. Multiple studies have been completed to determine if the benefits are substantial enough...
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...Epidemiology Paper Monica Okoro Nur/408 Epidemiology: Global and Public Health September 10, 2012 Diane Campbell, DNP - PHN, FNP - BC Epidemiology Paper Public health nursing allows nurses to encounter various vulnerable populations on a daily basis. In particular, the elderly make up a large portion of the population, and their vulnerability to the environment 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...
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...Running Head: Applying Concepts of epidemiology and Nursing Research Applying Concepts of epidemiology and Nursing Research to Influenza Grand Canyon University NRS-427V Concepts in Community and Public Health This topic of this paper will be about Influenza, it is a highly contagious illness in the respiratory tract that is caused by a virus that currently occurs throughout the world and it usually peaks in December through March. The ‘Flu’ is usually spread by infected people, coughing and sneezing without covering their mouth and nose. It is spread by common, frequent contact, touching another person, for example, just shaking someone’s hand can also transmit the virus. The contagious period for the virus is thought to be twenty four hours before manifestations of symptoms appear and up to seven days thereafter. This information indicates that a person, potentially, could be contagious before they even know that they are sick. (Medical News Today, 2014) Symptoms of the Flu are numerous, fevers, cold sweats, shakes, cough, rhinorrhea, aching body, joint pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms can last roughly for a week, while the effect of exhaustion can last for several weeks until the person can make a full recovery. Those considered high risk for contracting the flu, are those that are immunosuppressed by a chronic disease, medications or treatments, the elderly, infants, the very young, pregnant women, health care professionals and people who...
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...Communicable Diseases: Influenza Jena M. Gilbert Grand Canyon University: NRS-427V February 10, 2016 Communicable Diseases: Influenza This paper will discuss the communicable disease process of Influenza or otherwise known as Flu in common terms. Herein will discuss what Influenza is, in what ways Influenza effects the infected and what we as heath care workers can do when dealing with this virus. Influenza otherwise known as the flu is a respiratory illness, contrary to the misconception of the flu being a stomach bug. The flu is caused by a virus and when contracted can show a wide range of symptoms mild to severe and has even been known to cause death. There are three types of Influenza viruses, A, B and C. In humans, influenza A and B viruses are what commonly effects people and is known to cause seasonal epidemics, while Influenza C is generally known to cause much milder respiratory symptoms and not known to become as widespread. Both Influenza A and B have numerous varying strains that cause the Influenza infection. (“Types of Influenza Viruses|Seasonal Influenza(Flu) | CDC,” 2014). Influenza can infect and cause a disease process in any and all age groups. Typically Influenza is more commonly seen at higher rates in children, particularly school aged children. Severe illness and death related to influenza is more commonly seen in ages two and under, sixty five years of age and older or in individuals with primary medical conditions as well as immunocompromised...
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...The Influenza Virus Susan Helmuth Grand Canyon University Concepts in Community and Public Health NRS-427V December 14,21014 Communicable Disease Communicable diseases have been a global problem for many years. Influenza Virus infection is an internal public health burden. This paper will include a description of influenza and the demographics involved. The health factors that contribute to the virus, the epidemiologic triage as related to the virus. The explanation of the role the community health nurse has and the organizations that addresses influenza virus. In conclusion, the community health nurse plays a major role in increasing immunization coverage, there for decreasing the communicable disease of influenza. Influenza Virus Influenza Virus also calls the Flu, is a contagious viral infection of the nose, throat, and lungs that appears most often in the winter months. It can cause mild to serve reactions. It is a serious infection that affects more than 60 million people in the United States a year. The cause of the Flu is by influenza virus. There are three types being discussed. Type A flu viruses are found in some animals, such as ducks, chickens, pigs and horses. The forms of A and B are responsible for the commune seasonal flu Influenza type B viruses are only found in humans. Influenza type C infection causes mild respiratory infections, and is not thought to be a cause for epidemics. A new or different influenza virus can cause influenza pandemic...
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...flu) pandemic. The estimated transmissibility of the current virus is also not far from the norm. Depending on the methodology used, the calculated basic reproduction number (R0; the number of secondary infections produced by a single infected individual) is 1.2-1.6. This number is similar to that seen with seasonal influenza, while comparable estimates of R0 for the 1918, 1957, and 1968 pandemics ranged from 1.4-2.0. The WHO, however, suggests that there may be a much higher secondary attack rate. ■ COMMENTARY 2. 3. 4. 5. Government Pandemic Influenza Site: http://www.PandemicFlu.gov/ U.S. Government Pandemic Influenza Site: http://www.PandemicFlu.gov/ World Health Organization http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html Human/Swine A/H1N1 Influenza Origins and Evolution (Wiki) http://tree.bio.ed.ac.uk/groups/influenza/ http://www.thelancet.com/H1N1-flu The recognition that the initial perception of a high mortality rate was apparently spurious has led to some relaxation of concern. This may, however, be premature. While we have completed the usual influenza season in the Northern Hemisphere, the season is just beginning in the southern latitudes. Furthermore, previous pandemics have come in waves, with the second or third wave sometimes being associated with more severe disease than the original portion of the epidemic. While this was not true of the 1968 pandemic, it was true in 1957-1959 and, especially, in 1918. In fact, concern has been raised about...
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...Pandemic Influenza: Prevention and Preparedness Now that, the flu season has already started, knowing your risk factors, prevention, and preparedness is really important to review. Influenza, commonly know as “the flu”, is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by influenza A or B viruses. The illness appears most frequently from late fall to early spring and attacks the body by spreading through the respiratory tract. According to Flu.gov (2012), pandemic occurs when we have global disease outbreak and is determined by how many deaths it causes and how it spreads. Possible outbreak causes nurses and health care professional to prepare possible plan of action that balances between overreacting and just the right way to go. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to outline prevention strategies and possible outbreak control. Summary of an Article The article chosen for this assignment was published in May/June 2012, in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice (Potter et.al, 2012). The authors point out that the difference in emergency preparedness amongst states can significantly delay distribution of vaccines in case of pandemic. The study “explored the effect of variations in states’ levels of preparedness by linking the SNS (Strategic National Stockpile) to calibrated delays in emergency vaccine distribution and by comparing how the delays would affect influenza infection rated within and among states” (Potter et.al, 2012). The research also shows that...
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...Peer-Reviewed Journal Tracking and Analyzing Disease Trends pages 557–740 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF D. Peter Drotman Associate Editors Paul Arguin, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Charles Ben Beard, Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA Ermias Belay, Atlanta, Georgia, USA David Bell, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Sharon Bloom, Atlanta, GA, USA Mary Brandt, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Corrie Brown, Athens, Georgia, USA Charles H. Calisher, Ft. Collins, Colorado, USA Michel Drancourt, Marseille, France Paul V. Effler, Perth, Australia David Freedman, Birmingham, Alabama, USA Peter Gerner-Smidt, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Stephen Hadler, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Nina Marano, Nairobi, Kenya Martin I. Meltzer, Atlanta, Georgia, USA David Morens, Bethesda, Maryland, USA J. Glenn Morris, Gainesville, Florida, USA Patrice Nordmann, Fribourg, Switzerland Didier Raoult, Marseille, France Pierre Rollin, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Ronald M. Rosenberg, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA Frank Sorvillo, Los Angeles, California, USA David Walker, Galveston, Texas, USA Senior Associate Editor, Emeritus Brian W.J. Mahy, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, UK Managing Editor Byron Breedlove, Atlanta, Georgia, USA Copy Editors Claudia Chesley, Laurie Dietrich, Karen Foster, Thomas Gryczan, Jean Michaels Jones, Shannon O’Connor, P. Lynne Stockton Production William Hale, Barbara Segal, Reginald Tucker Editorial Assistant Jared Friedberg Communications/Social Media Sarah Logan Gregory Founding Editor Joseph E. McDade, Rome, Georgia, USA Emerging Infectious Diseases...
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...Foreign Affairs, July/August 2005 [pic] Summary: If an influenza pandemic struck today, borders would close, the global economy would shut down, international vaccine supplies and health-care systems would be overwhelmed, and panic would reign. To limit the fallout, the industrialized world must create a detailed response strategy involving the public and private sectors. Michael T. Osterholm is Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, Associate Director of the Department of Homeland Security's National Center for Food Protection and Defense, and Professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health. FEAR ITSELF Dating back to antiquity, influenza pandemics have posed the greatest threat of a worldwide calamity caused by infectious disease. Over the past 300 years, ten influenza pandemics have occurred among humans. The most recent came in 1957-58 and 1968-69, and although several tens of thousands of Americans died in each one, these were considered mild compared to others. The 1918-19 pandemic was not. According to recent analysis, it killed 50 to 100 million people globally. Today, with a population of 6.5 billion, more than three times that of 1918, even a "mild" pandemic could kill many millions of people. A number of recent events and factors have significantly heightened concern that a specific near-term pandemic may be imminent. It could be caused by H5N1, the avian influenza strain currently circulating in Asia. At this juncture...
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...for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia 1 2 ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: Received 22 August 2012 Received in revised form 27 August 2012 Accepted 3 September 2012 Available online 28 December 2012 The novel H1N1 influenza virus that emerged in humans in Mexico in early 2009 and transmitted Keywords: Ethical issues H1N1 Malaysia Mitigation efforts efficiently in the human population with global spread has been declared a pandemic strain by WHO. Here we reviewed the role of ethical issue in the prevention of H1N1. Studies with original data related to the ethical issues in the prevention of diseases (published 1996-2012) were identified via searching electronic databases to extract related information. The role of ethical issues in the prevention of diseases must be understood. This comprises work on how the society understands about a disease and what are their individuals’ tasks to conquer the outbreak. Such understanding feeds into health damaging or health promoting behavior which eventually will help in the implementation of various disease control measures. The promises of ethical issue in the various control measures that may be taken to fight the danger of pandemic H1N1 are great. 1. Introduction 2. Methods From April 2009 a pandemic caused by a novel H1N1 virus has...
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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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...Immunization is a very controversial topic including the issue of mandatory flu vaccination for front-line health care workers. Health care workers are the front-line workers to whom patients are first exposed to during the initial encounter to medical system. Influenza is commonly referred to as the seasonal flu which strikes 5% to 15% of the world’s population with approximately 3 to 5 million severe cases of illness which leads to 250000 to 500000 deaths annually (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). In addition, hospital acquired influenza has a 16% mortality rate which increases to 60% in high-risk population groups (Cortes-Penfield, 2014). Specifically in Canada, the average rate of influenza infection is 10% to 20% of the population...
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