Diseases/infections

Front 1

Herpes Simplex

Back 1

-commons virus strain carried by humans
-80% are asymptomatic
-close personal contact

Front 2

HIV Infection

Back 2

-most feared infection risk for EMTs
-no vaccine
-must be deposited on a mucous membrane or directly into the blood stream (sexual contact or exposure to blood)

Front 3

Syphilis

Back 3

-bloodborne disease
-if treated with penicillin, considered noommunicable with 24-48 hours
-produces a lesion called chancre - most common in the genital region

Front 4

Hepatitis

Back 4

-inflammation (and often infection) of the liver
-immediate - loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, fatigue, sore throat, cough, muscle and joint pain
- several weeks later - jaundice (yellow eyes and skin), RUQ abdominal pain

Front 5

Hepatitis A

Back 5

-only transmitted from a patient with an acute infection
-orally through oral or fecal contamination
-2-6 week incubation
-vaccine available. no treatment

Front 6

Hepatitis B

Back 6

-blood, sexual contact, saliva, urine, breast milk
- 4-12 week incubation
-vaccine available, treatment is minimally effective
-more contagious than HIV

Front 7

Hepatitis C

Back 7

-blood, sexual contact
- 2-10 week incubation
-vaccine available, treatment is minimally effective
- only occurs in patients with active Hepatitis B

Front 8

Meningitis

Back 8

-inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord
-fever, headache, stiff neck, altered mental status
-viruses or bacteria, most of which aren't contagious
-can be treated at the emergency department with antibiotics
-considered "reportable" - prophylactic treatment
Meningococcal meningitis - contagious - colonizes human nose and throat, rarely causes an acute infection. can be lethal when it does.

Front 9

Tubeculosis

Back 9

-chronic mycobacterial disease. usually strikes the lungs
-if the disease involves brain or kidneys only slightly contagious
-almost invariably have a cough
-respiratory TB only contagious form - spread by airborne transmission
-HEPA masks are required to stop droplet nuclei.
-1/3 of world has TB
-BCG - vaccine- only rarely used in US
-6 weeks for bacteria to show up in lab tests
-daily dose of isoniazid will prevent the development of active infection

Front 10

Whooping cough

Back 10

-also called pertussis
-airborne disease
-caused by bacteria
-mostly kids 6 and younger
-place a mask on patient and yourself

Front 11

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Back 11

-bacteria that causes infections and resistant to most antibiotics
-patient to patient via unwashed hands of healthcare providers
-5% to 15% of healthcare providers carry MRSA in their nares
-increased risk for developing MRSA - antibiotic therapy, prolonged hospital stays, a stay in intensive care or burn unit, expose to an infected patient
-5 to 45 day incubation period
-results in soft tissue infection

Front 12

Hantavirus

Back 12

-rare but deadly
-rodent urine and droppings

-Enteropathogenic (Escherichia coli) -common cause of pediatric diarrhea in developing countries

Front 13

West Nile Virus

Back 13

- carried by mosquito
-affects humans and birds
-not communicable

Front 14

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)

Back 14

-serious, potentially life-threatening viral infection caused by a recently discovered family of viruses.
-starts with flulike symptoms
-may progress to pneumonia, respiratory failure, in some cases death

Front 15

Avian Flu

Back 15

-occurs naturally in bird population
-carried in intestinal tract of wild birds
-does not usually cause illness (other than for birds)
-first case reported in Hong Kong in 1997, 18 infected, 6 died
-death rate of about 25%
-must have close contact with infected birds

Front 16

H1N1

Back 16

-initially defined as swine flu
-contagious