Infectious disease

Meningitis

Transmission: occurs via direct contact w/ infected nasopharyngeal secretions. Typically requires prolonged contact time of 8 hours or more
Timing: The incubation period is between 2 and 10 days. Communicable period varies
Assessment findings: fever, head ache, stiff neck, Kernig sign, brudzinski sign
Management: Standard precautions. Mask on pt. Treat symptoms
Post exposure: Ciprofloxacin or rifampin

Seasonal Influenza

Transmission: Droplets, can spread from hand, nose, mouth, or eyes
Incubation: 1-4 days; communicable from before day 1 til day 5 from onset
Assessment: Fever, Headache, muscle pain, respiratory symptoms. Duration typically 3-4 days
Management: Place a surgical mask on the patient

Pertussis (whooping cough)

Pathophysiology: Caused by bordetella pertussis bacterium
Incubation: Highly communicable; incubation 7-10 days
Assessment: Fever, nasal discharge, cough progressing to coughing spasm. Pts may be unable to take a breath
Management: 5 day course of azithromycin, not recommended for pts w/ known cardiac disease

Mumps

Transmission: through droplets or direct contact w/ saliva or respiratory secretions
Incubation: 16-18 days
Assessment: Fever, headache, muscle aches, swelling of salivatory glands
Management: Supportive care
Complications: Orchitis (Swelling of TESTICLES. Most common complication in MEN)

Rubella

Pathophysiology: Viral infection
Incubation: 12-23 days
Assessment: Rash (usually begins on the face and spreads), headache, mild pink eye, swollen lymph nodes, cough, runny nose

Covid-19

Assessment: Fever, cough, SOB, head ache, loss of smell or taste, muscle aches, sore throat, chills
Transmission: Direct contact w/ respiratory secretions/saliva/droplets

Tuberculosis

Pathophysiology: Not highly communicable. Types include typical, Atypical, and extra pulmonary
Transmission: Airborne particles
Incubation: 4-12 weeks
Assessment: Persistent cough, night sweats, head ache, fever, fatigue, weight loss, hemoptysis(coughing up blood), hoarseness, chest pain
Management: Place a surgical mask on the patient, provide oxygen, ventilate if needed
Risk groups: asian population, incarcerated/homeless, immunocompromised
Drug Resistance: MDR TB that is resistant to two or more first line medications. XDR TB resistant to two first line oral medications and at least 1 of 3 second line injectable medications

varicella Zoster (chicken pox)

Pathophysiology: Produces itchy fluid filled vesicles.
Transmission: droplet spread or respiratory secretions
Incubation: 14-16 days
Assessment: Highly contagious, characterized by vesicular rash, fever, photosensitivity
Management: Use airborne and contact precautions; management is supportive

Measles

Pathophysiology: Highly communicable;
Transmission: airborne aerosolized droplets
Assessment: Early signs include fever, conjunctivitis, and Coryza followed by a cough, koplik spots, blotchey spots
Management: Support care

mononucleosis

Pathophysiology: Caused by the Epstein-Barr virus
Transmission: direct contact w/ saliva
Incubation: 4-6 weeks; communicable period is prolonged
Assessment: Sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, malaise, headache, muscle pain, and enlarged liver and/or spleen
Management: Use gloves and good handwashing

Gonorrhea

Pathophysiology: caused by neisseria gonorrhoeae Transmission: Sexual contact
Incubation: 2-7 days can remain communicable w/o treatment
Assessment: Males present w/ pus containing urethral discharge. Painful Urination. Females present w/ inflammation of the urethra/cervix or PID
Management: Gloves or general drainage

Syphilis

Pathophysiology: Caused by treponema pallidum. Transmission: direct contact w/ fluids
Incubation: 10 days to 3 months. Noncontagious within 48 hours of treatment
Stages: Primary: presents of chancre
Secondary: skin wash, patchy hair loss, swollen lymph glands
Tertiary: Various complications
Management: Use gloves and good handwashing

Genital Herpes

Pathophysiology: Chronic reoccurring viral illness. Type 1: Oral secretions Type 2: Sexual contact
Incubation: 2 - 12 days; infectious 4-7 days
Management: No cure exists; acyclovir, valacyclovir, famciclovir can reduce outbreaks

Chlamydia

Pathophysiology: Highest incidence of all STIsTransmission: Sexual contact
Incubation: 7-14 days
Assessment: Inflammation of the urethra, epididymis, cervix and fallopian tubes. Gray or white urethral discharge
Management: Prevented w/ gloves and good hand washing

Lice

Types: Head, body, pubic. Lice feed on blood. Transmission: direct contact.
Incubation: Pubic incubation: 8-10 days
Assessment: Itching, irritation, sores, and nits (Eggs)

Dermatophyte

Superficial fungal skin infection causing scaley rashes and itching

Hookworm

Larvae penetrate skin, entering circulation, travels to the lungs, are coughed up/swallowed. Mature in the small intestine

Pinworm

Spread by fecal oral route

Viral Hepititis (Heptitits B or HBV)

Transmission: Sexual contact, blood transfusion, skin puncture w/ contaminated sharp
Incubation: 60 - 90 days; 20% - 30% of chronic infection leads to cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer
Assessment: Loss of appetite, abominal discomfort, jaundice, scleral icterus
Management: Immunization

Hepatitis C (HCV)

Transmission: Sharing needles, contiminated needle stick, or mother to infant. 15% - 25% of infections resolve naturally
Incubation: Symptoms appear 6 - 9 weeks after exposure

Hepititis D (HDV)

Pathophysiology: Only occurs in the presence of HBV
Transmission: Percutaneous; Infectious during all phases
Incubation: 30 - 180 days

Heptitis A (HAV)

Transmission: Fecal oral route, often considered benign
Incubation: 2 - 4 weeks; communicable from end of incubation to 'a few days' after jaundice appears
Phase 1: Fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, nausea, abdominal pain, loss of interest in smoking (?)
Phase 2: Jaundice, Dark urine, pale/clay colored stool; resolves after several weeks

Heptitis E (HEV)

Transmission: Fecal Oral route
Incubation: 15 - 60 days
Management: Gloves for stool contact

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Transmission: blood or OPIM (Other potentially infectious materials; I.E. Semen, Vaginal secretions, spinal fluid)
Pathophysiology: Attacks the immune system leading to AIDS. Patients are vulnerable to opportunistic infections
Incubation: Seroconversion occurs within 3 months
Symptoms: Febrile acute illness, malaise, swollen lymph glands
Management: Use needle safe devices. Follow standard safety precautions

Ebola

Transmission: Precautions include contact and droplet. Spread via direct contact through non intact skin or mucus membranes
Incubation: 2 - 21 days
Assessment: Fever, muscle pain, progresses to profuse diarrhea and vomiting, impaired kidney/liver function
Management: Supportive care, biohazard bag for emesis

Norovirus

Transmission: Airborne between infected people, Contaminated food/water, Contaminated surfaces
Incubation: Symptoms appear in 1 - 2 days
Assessment: Nausea, forceful vomiting, water diarrhea, low grade fever
Management: Clean after transport, masks

Wast Nile Virus

Transmission: Bite from mosquito, no human to human contact
Assessment: Fever, Headache, fatigue, weakness, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rash
Incubation: 2 - 14 days; only 20% of those infected are symptomatic

Dengue Fever

Transmission: mosquito bite, possible through organ transplant, blood transfusions, mother to fetus
Incubation: S/S 4 - 7 days after mosquito bite. Symptoms for 3-10 days
Assessment: High fever, headache, severe pain behind the eyes, joint pain, muscle pain, bone pain, mild bleeding. Can progress to Dengue hemorrhagic fever leading to hypovolemic shock and death

Chikungunya fever

Transmission: Aedes aegypti mosquito
Incubation: fever that typically lasts for 5 - 7 days
Assessment: Severe, possibly incapacitating joint pain
Management: NSAIDs for pain management

Zika Virus

Transmission: Aedes aegypti mosquito, Infected mother to fetus, sexual contact
Assessment: microcephaly, difficulty swallowing, and learning disabilities, fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis, muscle pain, headache
Incubation: 3 - 14 days

Lyme disease

Transmission: Tick borne
Incubation: 3 - 32 days
Early stage: Localized round, red skin lesion
Early disseminated stage: Secondary lesions, flu like symptoms
Late Manifestation: Arthritis, intermittent joint pain

Rocky mountain spotted fever

Transmission: Tick bite
Pathophysiology: Can be severe or fatal if not treated in the first few days
Assessment: Fever, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, muscle pain, rash
Management: Doxycycline is first line treatment

HantaVirus

Pathophysiology: found in rodent (urine, feces, saliva)
Transmission: contact
Incubation: 12-16 days
Stage 1 Pulmonary: fever, chills, muscle aches abdominal pain

Rabies

Transmission: direct bite of an infected animal. mucous membranes, aerosol transmission, and corneal and organ transplant
Incubation: 2 to 8 weeks
assessment: fever, chills, sore throat, malaise, headache, weakness, paresthesia. Neurologic phase: hyperactivity, seizures, bizarre behavior, hydrophobia
management: follow standard precautions

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)

Transmission: close contact with an in person
incubation: 5-6 days (up to 14 days)
Assessment: GI disturbances, and potential acute respiratory distress syndrome

Tetanus

Transmission: spores enter via contaminated puncture wounds or street drugs
Assessment: painful muscle contractions/rigidity, abdominal rigidity is a key sign

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Transmission: Unwashed hands, Higher risk if prolonged stay in the hospital or ICU
Incubation: 5-45 days
Management: soft tissue infections are managed with incision or drainage

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA)

Risk groups: multiple underlying health conditions, previous MRSA infections, indwelling catheters, recent exposure to vancomycin
assessment: localized skin abscess, Cellulitis ,meningitis, body weakness and pain
Management: hand washing, standard precautions

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)

Pathophysiology: Found in urinary tract and blood stream infections. Susceptible if already immunocompromised
Assessment: Infection can cause UTIs, catheters can serve as port of entry. Surgical wounds may become infected
Management: Standard precautions

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE)

Pathophysiology: Enterobacteriaceae are normally found in GI and vaginal tracts. Spore forming
Transmission: unwashed hands and contaminated surfaces
Assessment: May vary depending on location of bacteria. Ferver, UTI, fatigue, chills, sepsis
Management: Hand washing, standard precautions

Clostridium difficile (C. diff)

Pathophysiology: Spore forming bacterium causing watery diarrhea
Transmission: Contact via surfaces contaminated w/ feces
Incubation: Resolves 2 - 3 days after discontinuing antibiotics
Assessment: Frequent watery, green, foul smelling diarrhea. Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal discomfort
Management: Hand washing, gloves, use CHLORINE BASED wipes for cleaning equipment

severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)

Pathophysiology: Close personal contact
Incubation: 10 days from exposure
Assessment: S/S Fever >100.4, headache, overall feeling of discomfort, body aches, dry cough after 7 days
Management: Use adequate PPE, Notify DICO, undergo a 10-day quarantine

avian flu

Pathophysiology: Virus carried in the intestinal tract of wild birds. Low risk of transmission for humans
Assessment: S/S Fever, sore throat, cough, muscle aches, eye infection. May progress to pneumonia and severe Respiratory distress
Management: surgical mask for the pt, antiviral drug may be offered, annual flu shot