Communicable Disease: Measles and its Causes, Symptoms, and Mode of Transmission

Epidemiology paper: Measles
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Epidemiology paper: Measles
Describe the chosen communicable disease, including causes, symptoms, mode of transmission, complications, treatment, and the demographic of interest (mortality, morbidity, incidence, and prevalence). Is this a reportable disease? If so, provide details about reporting time, whom to report to, etc. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes measles among the top leading contagious illnesses affecting human beings. Leung et al. (2018) indicate that experts also refer to the condition as rubeola. Although the disease predominantly affects children, its effects extend to the adult population, suggesting that it can manifest in any person irrespective of age, considering an infection occurs. Trends of the disease occurrence in the United States indicate that the risks of infection increase with an outbreak, which explains why the reported statistics about its presence remain regionalized. Since contact is a significant mode of spreading the condition, healthcare professionals rank measles as a concerning communicable disease requiring urgent public health responses when it arises. Causes of Measles             The measles virus, paramyxovirus, belongs to the Morbillivirus genus, causes the disease. Leung et al. (2018) add that the virus belongs to the Paramyxoviridae and Mononegavirales family and order. This virus has a spherical structure with approximately 100 – 200 nm (Leung et al., 2018). The pleomorphic virus comprises a particular ribonucleic acid strand negatively polarized within the lipid capsule. The composition of the virus, which includes six proteins, explains the ease of the virus fusing with the host’s cells, leading to the high infection rates characterizing a measles outbreak. As a result, most individuals who contact an infected person end up displaying clinical symptoms. Symptoms of Measles Infection             Diverse individual characteristics influence the clinical manifestations of measles. Leung et al. (2018) state that once infected, the incubation period of measles can range from as few as seven days to as many as 21 days. The author indicates that the median duration before the onset of the symptoms is thirteen days. The disease symptoms fall into two categories depending on elements such as signs and time. The first phase is prodromal that spans about two to four days. Leung et al. (2018) report that this phase presents anorexia, fever, and malaise symptoms. It also incorporates the three prevalent C’s: cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis. Other routinely present ones include periorbital edema, photophobia, and myalgias. A few days, up to two before exanthem emerges, a patient’s buccal mucosa suffers from Koplik spots. They are bluish-white papules resembling rice or sand grains and can range from 1- 3 mm (Leung et al., 2018). Since they arise in approximately 60% - 70% of patients and last from 12 to 72 hours, these spots indicate the presence of measles.             By 3 – 4 days after the emergence of fever, morbilliform exanthem occurs and peaks with exanthem onset. This aspect comprises macules, blanching, face, ears, neck side, hairline papules, and erythema (Leung et al., 2018). As the disease signs spread to other extremities and down the trunk, the rash gains more visible confluence. Visual examination reveals that a patient’s shoulders have more tense lesions. These rashes can remain for about five to ten days and fade in a similar pattern to how they occurred. However, the coughing remains persistent for weeks, accompanied by abdominal pain, sore throat, and cervical lymphadenopathy (Leung et al., 2018). Individuals with incomplete protective immunity suffer from modified muscles with less severe symptoms. Such persons may not display some signs and may have a minimal probability of spreading the disease. Transmission Mode             Humans are the only susceptible host targeted by the measles-causing virus. Leung et al. (2018) indicate that the virus moves from one person’s reservoir and spreads as airborne through droplets to infect the eyes, lungs, mouth, or intestinal tract, or even the throat of a person when ingested, breathed in, or if a person comes in physical contact with a host. Such aspects also indicate that the portal of entry or the disease-causing agent is also the portal or re-entry. Since the infected aerosols can remain airborne for approximately two hours, measles transmission does not depend on direct contact. This aspect demonstrates why experts flag the disease as concerningly contagious because it leads to disease development in almost 90% of susceptible contacts (Leung et al., 2018). Thus, measles can spread fast if the chain of infection remains uninterrupted. Complications of Measles Infection             Disease complications are commonplace in 10% - 40% of the infected persons (Leung et al., 2018). Gastanaduy et al. (2019) indicate that severity increases with other patient characteristics, including being immunocompromised, young, malnourished, pregnant, or aged. Complications include the presence of pneumonia, which contributes to about 60% of the mortality rate associated with measles (Leaung et al., 2018). The interruption of immunity increases a person’s vulnerability to other opportunistic infections. Individuals also suffer from respiratory tract issues, including sensorineural hearing loss, otitis media, sinusitis, otosclerosis, tuberculosis, and tonsilitis. Gastrointestinal problems include gingivostomatitis, hepatitis, gastroenteritis, and pancreatitis. Patients may also experience ophthalmological and hematological complications such as blindness and thrombocytopenia, respectively. Evidence also indicates that it triggers cardiological and neurological issues too. Thus, the destructive nature of measles is systemic. Treatment             Since no specific treatment targeting the measles-causing virus exists, the approach remains supportive. Evidence indicates that the primary method is applying antipyretics, reinstatement of nutrition, dehydration control, and preventing infections (Leung et al., 2018). The author demonstrates that experts should treat any bacteria infections with antibiotics as needed. Moreover, supplementation with Vitamin A has produced progressive results leading to a significant reduction in mortality and morbidity rates among infected children. In this context, Leung et al. (2018) indicate varying recommended daily doses of vitamin A depending on the age of the children. For instance, those under six months require 50 000 IU, 100 000 IU for six to eleven months infants, and 200 000 IU for those above one year. They should take the dose for two days. Despite the absence of antiviral therapy for the disease, studies have recommended using ribavirin due to its encouraging efficacy and safety profile. Other symptomatic treatments commonly used in measles patients include pain medicine prescription to manage the illness’s discomfort.  Demographic of Interest             Specific groups have an increased risk of being infected with measles. Trends indicate that non-immunized and malnourished children are more susceptible to the disease, making them an essential interest group. Moreover, immune-compromised people are at risk irrespective of their age or sex. A similar threshold exists among persons suffering from malnutrition, with young children being the most vulnerable. Inadequately vaccinated or unvaccinated populations also remain highly vulnerable irrespective of their racial affiliations. Hotez et al. (2020) underscore that healthcare facilities and international health bodies mainly target children under the age of five because of their increased risk of measles compared to other groups. As a result, without proper interventions, they record the highest morbidity and mortality rates followed by the immunocompromised groups. Thus, these groups remain critical as target areas for combatting measles. Case Reporting             Measles is a reportable disease that requires healthcare providers to inform specific national and regional health bodies about any cases in the United States. For instance, when experts learn of a measles case, regulations require them to alert the local health departments. According to Gastanaduy et al. (2019), rules describe persons bestowed with the responsibility of reporting, including the hospitals, healthcare professionals, children and daycare institutions, schools, and laboratories. The United States has already eliminated endemic transmission, which indicates that experts must immediately notify respective authorities of measles. Moreover, the state health department should report cases to CDC within 24 hours or contact NCIRD’s Susan Redd through email or phone number 404-639-8763 (Gastanaduy et al., 2019). The department should also use the 10140-event code to electronically report confirmed cases notifications to the NNDSS. Describe the social determinants ...