Question

List one infectious disease that you read about this week that is prevalent in the geographic area in which you reside and that you would expect to see frequently in your office. Provide the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostics, and treatment of the disease and how you would educate patients in prevention.

Answer 1

Viral pneumonia is the one most frequently seen in my workplace. The virus that invades the lungs and causes inflammation which is life-threatening in severe cases.

Epidemiology:

Among different pneumonia, viral pneumonia is the most predominant. About one-third of pneumonia is viral pneumonia cases. According to CDC's Pneumonia is the 8th leading cause of death in the U.S. Older aged 65 and above, and children are at higher risk.

Pathophysiology:

Someone sneezes or a cough

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Virus travel through the air droplets

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Enter into Nose or mouth

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Reach the terminals of bronchioles

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Respiratory distress and failure.

Clinical Presentation:

• Fever with chills and shakes
• Cough with yellow or green mucus.
• Fatigue and weakness
• Blue lips and nails
• Confusion
• Rapid breathing
• Chest pain when a deep breath

Diagnostic findings:

• Physical examination shows crackles in lungs, wheezing, and rapid heart rate.
• Chest X-ray to detect the changes.
• Sputum Culture to detect the microorganisms.
• Complete Blood count to know the inflammation.

Treatment:

• Antiviral medicines.
• If it is influenza virus, then Tamiflu, Zanamivir may be prescribed.
• If the causative agent is RSV, then ribavirin may be prescribed.

Patient education on prevention:

• Wash your hands with soap and water before eating food.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a small towel while coughing and sneezing.
• Stay away from others while they cough or sneeze.
• Try to avoid direct touching of hands into the nose.
• Take flu vaccine every year.