NURS 8310/ NURS 8310F/ NURS 8310M/ NURS 8310A/ NURS 8310C: Epidemiology and Population Health | Week 9

As you have examined in this course, the scope of epidemiology has broadened over the years to include the global investigation of chronic, environmental, and genetic diseases and other health-related conditions. Yet, the practice of epidemiology has its roots in the study of infectious disease, global epidemics, and pandemics. Perhaps you recall the widely reported concerns about the H1N1 virus, SARS, or the reemergence of measles, tuberculosis, or whooping cough. The emergence and reemergence of infectious disease has long held the attention of epidemiologists, as well as the general public.

This week, you will explore the investigative process epidemiologists use to examine infectious diseases. You will also submit Assignment 4.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze the investigative process for disease outbreaks
• Evaluate the application of health care interventions on emerging or reemerging infectious diseases
• Formulate an evaluation plan for a population health intervention

Learning Resources

Required Readings – NURS 8310C Emergence and Reemergence of Infectious Disease

Friis, R. H., & Sellers, T. A. (2014). Epidemiology for public health practice (5th ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

• • Chapter 12, “Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases”

In this chapter, the authors examine the epidemiology of infectious diseases, one of the most familiar applications of epidemiology.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). CDC says “Take 3” actions to fight the flu. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm

This page contains the CDC’s most up-to-date recommendations regarding the prevention of seasonal flu. In addition to this page, you may wish to explore the CDC’s Seasonal Influenza home page, http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

World Health Organization. (2012). Disease outbreak news. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/

The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information on the most recent disease outbreaks around the world. Stay up to date by visiting this site.

HealthMap. (2007). Retrieved from http://www.healthmap.org/en

Explore this interactive map that lists disease outbreaks around the world.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Morbidity and mortality weekly report: Summary of notifiable diseases. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwr_nd/index.html

Review the most current report on infectious diseases as reported by health care providers to state or local authorities. According to the CDC, “A disease is designated as notifiable if timely information about individual cases is considered necessary for prevention and control of the disease.” This report highlights infectious diseases reported in 2009.

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2012). Epidemiology and population health: Infectious disease: Two case studies [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 8 minutes.

In this week’s program, the presenters discuss HIV and AIDS.

Optional Resources

Ghosh, T. S., Patnaik, J. L., Alden, N. B., & Vogt, R. L. (2008). Internet-versus telephone-based local outbreak investigations. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 14(6), 975–977.

Seto, E. Y.W., Soller, J. A. & Colford, J. M. Jr. (2007). Strategies to reduce person-to-person transmission during widespread Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 13(6), 860–866.

Discussion: Investigating Pandemics and Epidemics

Some of the most notable epidemics include the bubonic plague in the 14th century, smallpox in the 18th century, and influenza in the 20th century. Reportedly, the bubonic plague caused over 137 million deaths, whereas the death toll associated with influenza was 25 million (Ernst, 2001). These are dramatic examples of the kinds of acute outbreaks that led to the practice of epidemiology.

Many epidemiologists and health care professionals are concerned about the next potential pandemic or epidemic. With the increased mobility of society, the spread of infectious diseases continues to pose a serious threat. For this Discussion, you will investigate pandemics and epidemics using epidemiological tools, and you will consider strategies for mitigating disease outbreaks.

To prepare:

• Using the Learning Resources, consider examples of emerging or reemerging infectious diseases that are occurring locally, nationally, or abroad. Then, select one example on which to focus.
• Explore the epidemiological investigative process used to identify the emerging or reemerging infectious disease or outbreak.
• Examine your selected infectious disease using the epidemiologic triangle and vector theory.
• Consider how health care interventions may reduce the emergence or reemergence of infectious diseases.

By Day 3

Post a cohesive response that addresses the following:

• Identify the emerging or reemerging infectious disease you selected.
• Discuss the investigative process used to identify the outbreak, and describe its effect using descriptive epidemiology (person, place, and time).
• Apply the epidemiologic triangle and vector theory to your selected outbreak.
• Evaluate how prior health care interventions, or lack thereof, created the conditions that allowed this infectious disease to emerge.
• Discuss how the disease outbreak might have been avoided or mitigated. Include agencies, organizations, and resources that could have supported these efforts. If appropriate, consider ongoing efforts to control the outbreak.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6 NURS 8310C Emergence and Reemergence of Infectious Disease

Respond to at least two of your colleagues in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, evidence, or research.
• Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.
• Offer and support an alternative perspective using readings from the classroom or from your own research in the Walden Library.
• Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research.
• Make a suggestion based on additional evidence drawn from readings or after synthesizing multiple postings.
• Expand on your colleagues’ postings by providing additional insights or contrasting perspectives based on readings and evidence. NURS 8310C Emergence and Reemergence of Infectious Disease

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

Emergence and Reemergence of Infectious Disease

Introduction

An infectious disease is a disease caused by the introduction of a microorganism into the body. Infectious diseases can be transmitted from one person to another through direct contact with infected materials or bodily fluids, or via indirect contact such as eating food that has been contaminated by an infected animal or person. There are several types of infections including:

Introduction

• Introduction

• Definitions of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases

• How infectious diseases emerge or reemerge

• Why do infectious diseases emerge or reemerge?

Who is at risk for acquiring an infectious disease?

Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases

What is an emerging disease?

An emerging disease is one that has been present in humans for a long time, but its symptoms are new to the public. An example of an emerging disease would be smallpox, which was eradicated from the world in 1980 but returned in 2002 after being brought back by someone who had contracted it from a survivor. Another example is tuberculosis (TB) infection; this particular infection was thought to have gone extinct until it reappeared in 2015 due to increased global travel and immigration patterns driven by globalization.

What is a re-emerging disease?

A re-emerging disease is one that has been known since ancient times but still causes significant harm today—for example, malaria remains one of the most common causes of death worldwide despite having been effectively eradicated with DDT spraying campaigns decades ago.

Why Do Infectious Diseases Emerge or Reemerge?

The emergence or reemergence of infectious diseases is a complex process that involves many factors. Here are some of the most common ones:

• Lack of immunity in the population

• Changes in population demographics

• Changes in human behavior (e.g., migration, urbanization) and lifestyle (e.g., diet) that may increase exposure to pathogens or decrease contact with healthcare providers; this can result in higher rates of illness among those living in cities than rural areas

• Changes in animal behavior (e.g., increased transportation links between humans and animals); these changes can lead to increased exposure to pathogens or decreased contacts with healthcare providers

These factors affect different populations differently depending on their location, so it’s important not only for scientists but also policymakers who need information about how best to respond when an outbreak occurs so they know what strategies might work best under different circumstances

Who is at Risk of Acquiring an Infectious Disease?

The risk of acquiring an infectious disease is not only based on your age and health, but also on where you live. People who live in urban areas are at a greater risk than those who live in rural areas.

As a result of these factors, individuals who have been exposed to an infectious agent (such as chickenpox) will likely be more susceptible to it than those who haven’t had any contact with such an agent. This can be seen when comparing the likelihood of infection between children and adults: Children have less immunity than adults because their bodies are still developing during childhood; therefore they are more likely to contract chickenpox if they come into contact with someone who has contracted it before.

Closing

As the world becomes more and more interconnected, diseases that once were confined to specific regions are now moving across borders. The need for vigilance in preventing the spread of infectious disease has never been greater.

Insect-borne diseases such as Zika, HIV/AIDS and malaria are all examples of emerging infectious diseases that have emerged from their traditional geographic locations. These new pathogens can be found anywhere in the world where people live or travel—and they can cause serious complications if left untreated or treated incorrectly.

In addition to addressing these issues through prevention efforts at home or abroad (such as immunizations), you must also be prepared for treatment when confronted by an outbreak or epidemic situation involving these kinds of infections:

Takeaway:

In the end, infectious diseases are a serious threat to society. They can have devastating effects on both human health and the economy. We must be vigilant in our efforts to prevent the spread of infectious disease, and we need to be prepared for another pandemic or outbreak when it comes along.

Conclusion

I hope this blog has helped you to understand where infectious diseases are coming from and how they re-emerged as an epidemic in recent years. As for the future of infectious diseases, I think it will continue to be a concern for social scientists as we try to understand their origins and spread across countries around the world.