Health 8

1. Third Quarter
Health

2. At the end of the day, students on their own
and in the long run, should be able to:
Familiarize with the different emerging and
re-emerging diseases.
Analyze the nature of emerging and
reemerging diseases

4. Leptospira interrogans
It is carried by many animals and lives in their
kidneys.
It ends up in soil and water through their urine.
It can invade your body through breaks in your skin,
like scratches, open wounds, or dry areas.
It can also enter through your nose, mouth, or
genitals.

5. Leptospirosis is more often found in
warm climates.
And although the bacteria live all over
the world, it’s especially common in
Australia, Africa, Southeast Asia,
Central and South America, and the
Caribbean.

6. high fever
severe
headache
muscle
pain
chills redness of
the eyes
abdominal pain
and diarrhea
jaundice
hemorrhages
vomiting rash

7. For mild cases, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics, such as
doxycycline or penicillin.
Patients with severe leptospirosis will need to spend time
in the hospital. They will receive antibiotics intravenously.
Depending on which organs leptospirosis affects, the
individual may need a ventilator to help them breathe.
If it affects the kidneys, dialysis may be necessary.
If it affects the brain or spinal cord, meningitis, encephalitis,
or both may develop.

9. It was first identified at the end of February
2003 during an outbreak that emerged in China
and spread to 4 other countries.
An airborne virus and can spread through
small droplets of saliva in a similar way to the
cold and influenza.
It can also be spread indirectly via surfaces
that have been touched by someone who is
infected with the virus.

10. A serious form of viral pneumonia caused by the SARS
coronavirus
SARS can spread when an infected person comes into face-
to-face contact with someone else. Face-to-face contact
refers to:
1. caring for someone with SARS
2. having contact with the bodily fluids of a person with SARS
3. kissing, hugging, touching, or sharing eating or drinking
utensils with an infected person
The disease may also be spread through the air, but
researchers have not confirmed this.

11. Here are some of the best ways to prevent transmission of SARS if
you’re in close contact with someone who’s been diagnosed with
the disease:
1. Wash your hands frequently.
2. Wear disposable gloves if touching any infected bodily fluids.
3. Wear a surgical mask when in the same room with a person with
SARS.
4. Disinfect surfaces that may have been contaminated with the
virus.
5. Wash all personal items, including bedding and utensils, used by
a person with SARS.

13. A mosquito-borne viral disease first described
during an outbreak in southern Tanzania in 1952.
When an uninfected mosquito feeds upon a viremic
person the mosquito can pick up the virus as it ingests
the blood.
It is caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV).
There is currently no vaccine or specific drug
against the virus. The treatment is focused on
relieving the disease symptoms.

14. The disease mostly occurs in Africa, Asia and the
Indian subcontinent. However a major outbreak in
2015 affected several countries of the Region of the
Americas, and sporadic outbreaks are seen
elsewhere.
Both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus have been
implicated in large outbreaks of chikungunya.
Whereas Ae. aegypti is confined within the tropics
and sub-tropics, Ae. albopictus also occurs in
temperate and even cold temperate regions.

15. There is no specific antiviral drug treatment
for chikungunya. The clinical management
targets primarily to relieving the symptoms,
including the joint pain using anti-pyretics,
optimal analgesics, drinking plenty of fluids and
general rest.
Medicines such as paracetamol or
acetaminophen are recommended to pain relief
and reducing fever.

17. A blood infection due to the bacteria Neisseria
meningitidis.
When someone has meningococcemia, bacteria
enter the bloodstream and multiply, damaging
blood vessels throughout the body and causing
bleeding into the skin and organs.
This can lead to a significant rash.

18. According to the Meningitis Research Foundation of Canada, up to
20% of people carry N. meningitidis in the back of their noses and
throats without having symptoms. Any carrier can transmit the
bacteria to other people.
The bacteria spread via direct contact with tiny droplets that come out
of a person’s nose or mouth. These droplets may reach another
person through:
1. coughing
2. sneezing
3. kissing
4. sharing cutlery or food
5. sharing drinks from the same container
6. sharing lipstick, cigarettes, or toothbrushes

19. Most cases of meningococcemia cause visible skin changes, along with
other symptoms. A person can detect signs of meningococcemia by
checking all over the body for a rash that does not fade when they
apply pressure.
In its earliest stages, meningococcal disease causes flu-like symptoms,
including:
1. fever and chills
2. fatigue (feeling tired)
3. cold hands and feet
4. muscle or joint pain
5. irritability
6. vomiting
7. rapid breathing

22. Who are the people most vulnerable to:
Leptospirosis
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Chikungunya
Meningococcemia
What places are at higher risk of having:
Leptospirosis cases
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome cases
Chikungunya cases
Meningococcemia cases