Transcript What to Know About Communicable Respiratory Diseases

A Guide to Communicable Respiratory
Diseases
• Communicable diseases can
be spread from person to person.
• The guide includes six communicable
respiratory diseases: the common cold,
influenza, pneumonia, strep throat,
tuberculosis, and SARS.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• The common cold
– The common cold is a respiratory infection
caused by more than 100 different viruses.
– Rhinoviruses, which are viruses that infect
the nose, are responsible for one-third of
all colds.
– High levels of stress can increase a person’s
chances of catching a cold.
– OTC medicines can help relieve cold symptoms.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Influenza
– Influenza, or the flu, is a highly contagious
viral infection of the respiratory tract.
– Influenza can be life-threatening for elderly
people, newborn babies, and people with
chronic diseases.
– Flu viruses are constantly changing, making it
difficult for the immune system to form
antibodies to new variations of the flu virus.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Influenza
– An infected person is particularly contagious
during the first three days of infection.
– A physician usually determines if people have
the flu by their symptoms and by whether the
flu is present in the community.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Influenza
– Aspirin or acetaminophen may relieve fever
and discomfort, although children and teens
should not take aspirin to relieve symptoms as
it may increase the chances of developing
Reye’s syndrome.
– Reye’s syndrome is a disease that causes
swelling of the brain and deterioration of
liver function.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Influenza
– Antibiotics are not effective against flu viruses.
– Flu shots are available and are updated
each year.
– They are highly recommended for people
under age 2 and over age 65; people with
chronic illnesses and/or with a history of
respiratory infections; pregnant women who
are in their second or third trimester during flu
season; and health-care workers.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Pneumonia
– Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs caused
by bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens.
– Pneumonia bacteria and viruses can be
spread by direct contact with an infected
person or with contaminated objects.
– Laboratory tests, chest X rays, and
physical examinations are used to
diagnose pneumonia.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Pneumonia
– Prompt treatment of pneumonia is critical.
– Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial
pneumonia, but viral pneumonia is much more
difficult to treat. Severe cases may require
hospital care.
– A vaccine is available to prevent
pneumococcal pneumonia, a type which kills
more people than all other vaccinepreventable diseases.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Strep throat
– Strep throat is a bacterial infection of
the throat.
– If strep throat is not treated promptly,
rheumatic fever can occur.
– Rheumatic fever is an autoimmune disease in
the heart that can cause fever, weakness, and
damage to heart valves.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Strep throat
– A throat culture is needed to diagnose
strep throat.
– Antibiotics are prescribed to kill the bacteria
and to prevent spread of the infection. Rest
and fluids help the body fight the infection.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Tuberculosis
– Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection of
the lungs.
– Tuberculosis bacteria become airborne
through coughing and sneezing by an
infected person.
– Only people with active tuberculosis
are contagious.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Tuberculosis
– A tuberculin skin test is the
injection of a protein substance
under the skin in the forearm
to determine if the person has
been exposed to tuberculosis.
– Chest X rays and sputum
samples are used to confirm
a diagnosis.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Tuberculosis
– Although antibiotics are used to treat
tuberculosis, some tuberculosis pathogens
have become resistant to them.
– Drugs are available to prevent tuberculosis
in people who are in close contact with
infected people. Rooms with good ventilation
and air flow reduce the risk of the spread
of tuberculosis.
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What to Know About Communicable
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• Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
– SARS is a contagious respiratory illness
caused by a new type of coronavirus.
– SARS surfaced in early 2003 in some
Asian countries.
– It is important to understand that the
symptoms of SARS are typical for many other
respiratory illnesses, including a fever, cough,
or shortness of breath.
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What to Know About Communicable
Respiratory Diseases
• Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
– With this illness, another criterion for diagnosis
is travel to specific Asian countries where
SARS exists and/or close contact with a
person infected with SARS.
– Since the initial outbreak, SARS is now
under control.
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