Epidemiology & Infectious Disease, Giardiasis - Research Paper Example

Infectious Disease Report: Health 302: Epidemiology & Infectious Disease, Giardiasis Please use complete sentences in your answers below, especially for “Global areas/impact” and “Target Population at Risk” and “Treatment” and “Prevention” – you need several sentences to fully answer these areas to earn full credit. Student:____________________________ Score:_______ Infectious Disease: (state origination, if known, date of discovery, etc) Giardiasis is a form of gastroenteritis that Giardia Lambia causes (The Victorian Government, Department of Health & Human Services, 2007). The infection has also been referred to as Beaver Fever because victims mostly contact it from water that beavers inhabit. Giardia Lambia that is found in beavers, though the parasite is also found in other animals including human beings, causes the disease that infects subjects who drink contaminated water. Its existence in beavers informed the alternative name. Van Leeuwenhoek discovered Giardia in the year 1681, in the parasite’s trophozoite stage, though Giardia also exists in as cyst but Lambl developed more information on the parasite in the year 1959. The parasite was however believed to a non-toxic parasite until towards the year 1980 when it was known to cause diarrhea. The cyst stage of the parasite is a domant stage that allows Giardia to survive even in hostile environments. At this stage, the parasite can survive under cold temperatures, as cold as 80C. Giardia is common in water bodies such as streams and lakes (Chandlee, Clarke, Wisti, and Zucker, n.d.). Its primary habitant is the intestines of human beings and those of other animals and it is normally discharged in feces, and due to its ability to survive in its cyst form, can survive on or under the earth’s surface, and in water (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Morbidity & Mortality Statistics In the United States, the infection is more prevalent among children between zero and 10 years old and adults between 35 and 49 years. Incidence rate also increased from the year 2009 to the year 2010, suggesting an increasing trend. Change in incidence rate by gender reflected this and incidence rate increased among Asians and Blacks but decreased among Native Americans and Whites. A total 19403 cases were reported in the year 2009 while 19888 cases were reported in the year 2010. The infection is also more prevalent in the northern region of the nation than in other regions and state incidence rates ranged from 2.6 cases per 100000 population to 29.6 cases per 100000 population (Yoder, Gargano, Wallace, and Beach, 2012). Global areas/impact Globally, the infection is more prevalent in developing countries than it is in developed countries. While infection rates in developed countries such as in North America and Europe range from less than one percent to six percent, those in developing countries such as in Africa and Asia range between 8 percent and 30 percent. Infection rates also differ by demographic traits within each region. In Morocco, for example, infection rate among adults is about 12 percent while the rate is higher, 25 percent, among expectant women in Minatitlan in Mexico. In developed countries such as the United States, the incidence rate is estimated at 5.5 to 70 per 100000 population size. Overall, only about four percent of patients experience chronic conditions from the infection (The Center for Food Security & Public Health, 2012). Target population at risk Incidence rates of the infection identify three target populations at risk of infection. The first target population is people living in developing countries and poor hygiene is the most probable cause. The population segment could extend to people who live under poverty in developed countries such as illegal immigrants who have not been employed and live in deplorable conditions. Children, between 0 and 10 years are another population segment that is at high risk of infection and their nature that involves contact with objects in their environment that they can ingest of that can contaminate hands to facilitate ingestion of the bacteria explains this. Adults between 35 and 49 years, based on statistics from America, form another target group. susceptibility of children and the adult populations are independent of living standards and poverty and hygiene conditions in developing countries could increase risk of these population segments (Yoder, Gargano, Wallace, and Beach, 2012; The Center for Food Security & Public Health, 2012). Species/Agent/Vector Giardia Lambia causes the infection. The bacterium lives in the intestines of human beings and other animals and is passed out through excretions. These then contaminate environments such as soil and water bodies and interaction with the bacteria in the media spreads the infection. The fact that contents of soil are easily washes away by water identifies highest risk in water bodies such as streams, pools, and lakes (The Victorian Government, Department of Health & Human Services, 2007; Chandlee, Clarke, Wisti, and Zucker, n.d.; The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Diagnosis/Symptoms Symptoms and formal tests inform diagnosis of giardiasis. Diarrhea is the most prevalent symptom but other symptoms include reduced body weight, dehydration, feeling of the urge to vomit, and headache. A person with the infection is also likely to lose appetite and suffer from excess gas in the stomach. Tests such as “stool antigen test,” “stool ova and parasite exam,” and “string test” can be used to confirm diagnosis of the infection (Vyas, 2014, p. 1). Treatment Administration of antibiotics is the available treatment for giardiasis. Treatment is however administered for serious symptoms or persistent symptoms. Mild symptoms normally disappear without treatment. People who pose risk of infection to others such as healthcare personnel should however receive treatments, even for mild symptoms, in order to prevent spread of the infection. Treatment is, however, not recommended for expectant women because of possible adverse effects on the unborn child (Vyas, 2014). Prevention Techniques for avoiding contact with contaminated materials are the prevention measures against giardiasis. Treatment of drinking water before consumption is one of the prevention measures through boiling of water or chemical treatment but it is important to note that the vector can survive under harsh treatment such as presence of chemicals. Washing of hands after interaction with a client in care facilities is another measure for preventing transfer of the vector from one person to another. in addition, safe sexual practices and washing fruits and vegetables with clean water before consuming them are other preventive measures (Vyas, 2014). Interesting Fact The body’s ability to manage mild symptoms of giardiasis is one of the interesting facts and identifies the need for an effective immune system as a measure against the infection, and possibly against other infections. The role of safe sexual behavior as a preventive measure is another interesting fact because the knowledge is new to me and it has a significant role in preventing sexually transmitted diseases (Vyas, 2014). Reference Chandlee, D., Clarke, J., Wisti, K., and Zucker, M. (n.d.). Giardiasis. Clark College. Retrieved from: http://web.clark.edu/tkibota/240/Disease/Giardiasis.pdf. The Center for Food Security & Public Health. (2012). Giardiasis: Giardiasis enteritis, Lambliasis, Beaver Fever. The Center for Food Security & Public Health. Retrieved from: http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/giardiasis.pdf. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Parasites- Giardia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/. The Victorian Government, Department of Health & Human Services. (2007). Giardiasis- The facts. The Victorian Government, Department of Health & Human Services. Retrieved from: http://ideas.health.vic.gov.au/diseases/Giardiasis-facts.asp. Vyas, J. (2014). Giardiasis infection. MedlinePlus. Retrieved from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000288.htm. Yoder, Gargano, Wallace, and Beach. (2012). Giardiasis surveillance- United States, 2009-2010: Surveillance summaries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6105a2.htm. Read More