Question

50 years ago, people thought we were approaching the end of what had been the war against infectious diseases that had occurred since the dawn of humanity. However, recent evidence has shown that not only are we constantly in danger of “new” diseases, but are still facing issues with traditional diseases that have increased resistance to available drugs. Answer the following questions.

1, What is the difference between Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases?

2. What is a broad-spectrum drug?

3. What is a compromised host?

4. What is an index case?

5. Why would we need to know the index case for the purpose of disease containment?

6. What is a nosocomial infection?

7. Why is it such a concern for the field of Public Health?

8. What is transformation (in terms of bacteria) and how does it play a role in treatment of bacterial infections?

Answer 1

1.Emerging infectious diseases are one which has occured recently and is causing the problems

E.g.,HIV,SARS,AIDS

Re emerging infectious disease which has occured in the past ,then cured or preventive measures were taken to control its prevalence and has emerged again ca using infection

E.g.Anthrax,West Nile virus,Ebola,Yellow fever

2.Broad spectrum drugs are one which are capable of killing both gram positive and gram negative organism  or which are capable of killing many different types of microorganisms in a form of single of drug

• E.g.,Aminoglycosides,Amoxicillin, Quinolones,Terptracycline are few which are used as broad spectrum antibiotic
• Nitazoxanide is a broad spectrum antimicrobial
• Intraconazole is a broad spectrum antifungal
• Umefinovir is a broad spectrum antiviral

3.Compromised host in simple term refers to a host which is susceptible to high level of infection or easily gets disease .These individuals usually have acquired of congenital immunodeficiency

For example :

• Acquired:HIV, due to immunotherapy treatment, severe anemia,malnutrition
• Congenital :Congenital heart disease immunodeficiency, Primary immunodeficiency disease

4.The index case refers to the detection or identification of the first case or a first patient of a disease, syndrome or a condition