Risk of Infectious and Communicable Diseases
The Process Implemented in the Investigation of the Outbreak of a Communicable Disease
The steps in a communicable disease outbreak include the use of relevant epidemiological methods. The first step of the investigation is confirmation of the outbreak. The investigators examine whether there is an increase in the number of cases. The team interviews the cases and review laboratory findings to conduct a thorough investigation. After confirming the outbreak, the investigation team proceeds to step 2 – verifying diagnosis by obtaining medical records and laboratory reports. The team also conducts repeated tests for efficient verification.
Therefore, the investigation team conducts case definition and case findings, steps 3 and 4, respectively, to determine exposure to the probable risk factor. According to CODE (2017), the case definition is a criterion for deciding whether a person should be considered having a communicable disease or the health condition of interest. Depending on data collected, the team conducts descriptive epidemiology in step 5, which involves graphs of case occurrence over. CODE (2017) suggests that the graph helps determine the nature of the outbreak. After descriptive epidemiology, the team formulates a formal hypothesis that helps determine the most vulnerable exposure that triggered the outbreak. Eventually, the team conducts analytical epidemiology, evaluate control measures, and describe surveillance.
The Differences Between Infectious and Communicable Diseases
Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. Remais et al. (2019) argue that infectious diseases, such as chickenpox, malaria, pneumonia, etc. can be spread directly or indirectly from an individual to another when a microorganism comes and stays in the body. For fungi or bacteria, new cells divide and grow in the body at an exponential rate. Viruses enter human cells and inhibit their control centers from surviving more comfortably in the body (Remais et al., 2019).
While all communicable diseases are infectious, some infections are not communicable. For example, tetanus causes an infection, but an individual with tetanus cannot spread it to other individuals. The bacterial live in dust and dirt and get inside the human body through abrasions like scrapes, cuts, or punctures (Remais et al., 2019). While the pathogen can cause severe infections and illness in a person, it cannot trigger a worldwide pandemic.
On the other hand, communicable diseases are infectious diseases transmitted from one source to another via viral organisms or infectious bacteria. Remais et al. (2019) argue that a communicable disease is contagious; its effects are often external. For example, if a person catches influenza, a communicable disease, they can spread it to other people. According to Remais et al. (2019), communicable diseases can cause worldwide pandemics. For example, a person with influenza can infect another or two others if they are not immune.
Factors that Influence the Emerging and Reemerging of Infectious Diseases
Ecological changes and agricultural development are some of the factors influencing the emerging and re-emerging of infectious diseases. According to Heymann (2016), ecological changes due to economic and agricultural development are most commonly associated with the emergence. They influence the outbreak of previously unrecognized diseases that causes high fatality rates, which turns out to be zoonotic introductions. Heymann (2016) suggests that environmental factors often trigger emergence by exposing people in contact with the natural reservoir or host for the infection. For example, Lyme disease emerged in the United States due to reforestation (Heymann, 2016). People’s movement into the reforested areas exposed a large population to the disease.
Changes in human demographics and behavior also influence the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases. Social population movements due to migration or war contribute to disease emergence. Heymann (2016) argues that economic conditions are causing workers’ mass movement from rural to urban areas worldwide. The United Nations estimates that migration will increase the world cities’ population by sixty-five percent by 2025 (Heymann, 2016). This might lead to health issues, triggering the emergence of various infectious diseases. For instance, Heymann (2016) argues that hemorrhagic fever has re-emerged in Asia due to overpopulation.
Recent Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases
COVID-19 is a crucial emerging infectious disease that developed from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The virus reveals little genetic diversity, showing that the SARS-COV-2 introduction to human humans might have occurred in late 2019 (Morens & Fauci, 2020). Epidemiological studies suggest that each infection causes 1.4 to 3.9 new ones when people are not immune or without preventive measures. Morens & Fauci (2020) indicate that COVID-19 has a zoonotic origin, and it could have emerged from a bat-borne virus. However, there is no evidence to explain an intermediate animal reservoir, like a pangolin, to humans’ COVID-19 introduction.
Malaria is a re-emerging infectious disease that has caused significant health concerns worldwide. In the last decade, malaria prevalence has escalated at an alarming rate across the globe. Malaria is caused by a protozoon of the genus Plasmodium, with the four subspecies: falciparum, Malaria, Vivax, and ovale. Cohen et al. (2017) reveal that over 500 malaria cases are reported each year, causing between 1.6 to 2.8 million deaths. Malaria causes 2.3 percent of global diseases and nine percent of diseases in Africa (Cohen et al., 2017). Although malaria is a global disease, Africa records the highest cases as it accounts for approximately ninety percent of the cases.