Assignment 5.1_How Do You Investigate Emerging Infectious Diseases?
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University of Nevada, Reno *
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748
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Medicine
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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Uploaded by cruzlorraine
1
How Do You Investigate Emerging Infectious Diseases?
Lorraine Cruz
School of Public Health, University of Nevada
CHS 748: Epidemiological Surveillance
Ingrid Mburia, Ph.D., MPH
October 09, 2023
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How Do You Investigate Emerging Infectious Diseases?
Infectious diseases re-emerge after they have been on a decline for some time. Examples of
re-emerging disease include malaria, tuberculosis, influenza and many other. One factor that is
responsible for the re-emergence is the virus’ evolution and adaptation. The influenza is a great
example of a virus that adapts and evolves, which is part of the reason as to why we get
vaccinated each year. The influenza virus may come back with different strands and may be
stronger and more adapted to our environment. Another factor responsible for re-emergence can
be population growth and urbanization. Increasing population densities and urban poverty
encourage the spread of viruses, with poor sanitary conditions people are more likely to
pulmonary and gastrointestinal factors (Hui E.K., 2006). Travel is also a major factor of re-
emerging infectious diseases. Today, we are seeing more travel growth by humans. When people
go to different areas around the world it is likely that they can bring back an infectious disease
already dealt with in their country from another country that may be dealing with it at that time.
Climate change is also another factor in the re-emergence of infectious diseases. Earth’s climate
continues to warm causing habitats to alter, increasing the spread into need geographic areas. For
example, mosquitoes may expand their range into regions when warming temperatures arise
(Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, 2023). One last factor is a breakdown in
public health measures that can cause re-emergence of an infectious disease. The breakdown of
public health measures such as vector control or vaccination programmers can also lead to the
result of re-emergence.
I believe it is necessary for the United States to help other countries stop the spread of
emerging infectious diseases. Not only would other countries benefit from the help, but the
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United States would also benefit. Travel related infectious disease can rise if one country is
suffering. The number of people travel each year increases and many travelers are unaware of
health risks. Many new discovered infections have been in existence but have not been seen in
areas where new outbreaks occur. Global travel is believed to be the reason for recent renewal of
many infectious diseases in the United States (Johns Hopkins Medicine, 2023).
The role of surveillance in controlling the spread of emerging or re-emerging infectious
diseases in the United States is critical. An infectious disease surveillance program is crucial on
preventing the spread. It plays a big role because of its several unique features, isolate collection
and characterization, importance of timeliness for outbreak detection and disease control and
intervention, need for flexibility and rapid development in the setting of a new or emerging
infections, development and evaluation of vaccines and other disease prevention efforts, and the
need to integrate data from an increasing number of sources from diverse public health partners
(Lee et al., 2010). Surveillance monitors diseases in order to help prevent the re-emerging on any
infectious disease in the United States.
A current infectious disease in the world today such as COVID-19, has been re-emerging
since 2020 and comes back in different strands, similar to the influenza. As for COVID-19 there
are many actionable strategies one can employ to prevent the transmission of that disease. The
first action I would take is to inform and educate the public. Not only should the disease be
treated in hospital and clinics, but as well as informing the public about the disease, what it is,
how to further treat it, what precautions one should take and what to prevent. It is important that
we all know what we are dealing with in order to further prevent the spread of the infectious
disease. Another actionable strategy I would employ to prevent the transmission of the disease is
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to make sure as many people receive the vaccination. When someone gets vaccinated not only
are they protecting themselves, but they also help protect people around them even those who
chose to be unvaccinated, this is called community immunity (HHS Headquarters, 2023).
Overall, surveillance on infectious diseases serves the purpose of preventing re-emergence
and spread of the diseases. The surveillance data obtained from a surveillance program is crucial
to understanding the disease and to learn preventive measures.
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References
Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology. (2023).
Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Baylor College of Medicine.
https://www.bcm.edu/departments/molecular-virology-and-
microbiology/emerging-infections-and-biodefense/emerging-infectious-diseases
HHS Headquarters. (2023).
Vaccines Protect You.
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.
https://www.hhs.gov/immunization/basics/work/prevention/index.html
Hui E. K. (2006). Reasons for the increase in emerging and re-emerging viral infectious
diseases.
Microbes and infection
,
8
(3), 905–916.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micinf.2005.06.032
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (2023).
Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The Johns Hopkins University,
The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Johns Hopkins Health System.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/emerging-infectious-
diseases#:~:text=Reemergence%20may%20happen%20because%20of,Human
%20behavior%20affects%20reemergence
Lee, L. M., Teutsch, S. M., Thacker, S. B., & St. Louis, M. E. (Eds). (2010).
Principles and
practice of public health surveillance
(3rd ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.