Addressing Infectious Disease Threats
Developed by the Directors of Health Promotion
and Education with support from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, National
Center for Infectious Diseases Permission granted
to reprint or abstract. Comments to director@dhpe.org
What Are Infectious Diseases?
Infectious diseases are human illnesses caused
by viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and other
microbes. They may be spread by direct contact
with an infected person or animal, by ingesting
contaminated food or water, by insects like
mosquitos or ticks (disease vectors), or by
contact with contaminated surroundings like
animal droppings or even contaminated air.
A Problem That Won’t Go Away
With the advent of antibiotics 50 years ago,
scientists made sweeping predictions heralding
the end of death and suffering from infectious
diseases. During the past 25 years, however,
microbes have demonstrated their tremendous
ability to adapt, survive and challenge us
anew.
Once thought almost eliminated as a public
health problem, infectious diseases remain
the leading cause of death worldwide. In 1996,
infectious diseases killed about one third
of the more than 52 million people who died
that year.
In the United States, two of the ten leading
causes of death are infectious diseases (HIV
and pneumonia/ influenza). The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports
that 160,000 Americans die each year with
an infectious disease as the underlying cause
of death. Ranging from childhood ear infections
to measles to sexually transmitted diseases
(STDs), infectious illnesses account for 25%
of all physician visits each year, and antimicrobial
agents are second only to pain relievers as
the most frequently prescribed class of drugs.
Anticipating and coping with these microbial
threats requires vigilance. We must maintain
global surveillance and a strong public health
infrastructure with state-of-the-art laboratories
and solid partnerships with colleagues in
medical, scientific, and policy arenas. Research
and creativity are crucial, as is targeted
public education at all levels of society
to assure a well- informed public. Knowing
that local threats can balloon into national
or global problems, partnerships must be formed
at all levels to develop both local and global
prevention strategies.
A Financial Burden
Societal costs of infectious diseases are
staggering. In the United States, treatment
of non-AIDS STDs alone costs $5 billion annually.
The yearly price tags of other infectious
diseases are $30 billion for intestinal infections,
$17 billion for influenza, $1 billion for
salmonella, and $720 million for Hepatitis
B. Altogether, the cost of treatment
and lost productivity associated with illness
from infectious agents tops $120 billion each
year.
Emerging Diseases
Although some infectious diseases, such as
polio, have been nearly wiped out, the vast
majority of these diseases will not be eliminated
in our lifetime. Indeed, the World Health
Organization reports that at least 30 new
diseases have been scientifically recognized
around the world in the last 20 years. These
emerging diseases include sin nombre
hantavirus, first identified in the US in
1993; cryptosporidiosis (a water-borne cause
of diarrhea that recently affected more than
400,000 people in a single outbreak in the
U.S.); the Ebola virus from Africa; and HIV.
Reemerging Diseases
Infectious diseases once thought under control
are also reemerging. Diseases like
tuberculosis, cholera, and even diphtheria
are making a comeback.
Why Are Infectious Diseases Emerging and
Reemerging?
Many factors are making it easier for infectious
diseases to become an even bigger problem in
the future.
- The genetic makeup and reproductive ability
of many infectious agents allows them to mutate
or evolve into more deadly strains against
which humans have little resistance.
- Mass migrations of refugees bring infectious
diseases into new areas.
- Global travelers visiting exotic areas bring
new diseases home with them.
- Growth of congested urban slums, lacking
sanitation and clean water, result in large
outbreaks of infections spread by food, water
and environmental factors.
- Population shifts and urbanization disturb
natural habitats and increase human contact
with remote environments and poorly under-stood
ecosystems that hide many unknown and dangerous
microorganisms.
- Over time, animal infections can become
transmissible to humans (zoonoses).
- The globalization of world commerce brings
potential contaminants across our borders
daily by way of food, plants, hitchhiking
insects, and other products.
- Misuse and overuse have eroded the ability
of once-dependable antibiotics to fight common
infections. Many microorganisms have become
resistant to our most powerful modern drugs.
Likewise, disease-carrying insects are becoming
resistant to pesticides.
- Human sexual behavior and substance abuse
expedite the spread of infectious agents.
- Institutional settings, such as child care
centers and hospitals, provide an ideal environment
for transmission of infectious diseases because
they bring susceptible individuals into close
daily contact.
- Until recently, the commitment and resources
needed to sustain an active community defense
against infectious diseases were waning. Faith
in antibiotics and vaccines led to a downward
spiral in public health spending, and essential
surveillance and laboratory systems did not
keep pace with available technology. Cutbacks
in prevention programs, lack of trained staff,
and weak outbreak detection systems, for a
time, allowed infectious diseases to gain
a strong foothold in the United States and
abroad.
The Good News About Infectious Disease Control
Many infectious diseases can be prevented through
simple and inexpensive methods.
- Wash Your Hands Often
Always wash your hands before, during and
after preparing food, before eating, after
using the bathroom or changing diapers,
and after handling animals or animal waste.
- Routinely Clean and Disinfect Surfaces
Cleaning with soap and water removes dirt
and most germs. Using a disinfectant kills
additional germs. It is important to thoroughly
clean areas where germs are likely to be
transmitted, such as the kitchen and bathroom.
- Handle and Prepare Food Safely
Buy and refrigerate perishable foods quickly.
Store food properly. Don’t allow juices
from meat, seafood, and poultry or eggs
to drip on other foods. Wash hands and kitchen
surfaces and utensils while preparing food.
Wash raw fruits and vegetables. Don’t eat
raw eggs. Cook poultry and meat until the
juices run clear. Use different dishes for
raw foods and cooked foods. Keep cold foods
cold and hot foods hot. Don’t leave leftovers
out longer than 2 hours.
- Get Immunized
Children, adolescents and adults need immuni-zations.
Make sure the members of your family get
the right vaccines at the right time. Keep
immunization records for the whole family.
- Use Antibiotics Properly
Unnecessary antibiotics can be harmful
and, if misused, can cause bacteria to become
resistant to treatment. Antibiotics don’t
work against viruses like colds and flu.
Use antibiotics exactly as prescribed by
your provider.
- Practice Animal Safety
Keep pets healthy by following your veterinarian’s
recommendations. Clean litter boxes daily
and don’t let children play where animals
urinate or defecate. Cover sandboxes. Use
insect repellent if engaging in outdoor
activities. Avoid contact with wild animals.
A Critical Role for Health Education Professionals
Thanks to modern technology, researchers continually
have new answers to the age-old question: What
makes people ill? As part of their trade, specialists
in community and individual health education
have an obligation to keep pace with such public
health research. Recent findings, for example,
show that some chronic diseases and conditions
(including ulcers, certain heart diseases, C.
pneumoniae, and chronic liver disease) may
in fact have etiologic connections to infectious
agents.
Since many infectious diseases cannot be prevented
by vaccines or treated effectively once established,
the only line of defense is often education
so communities and individuals can take preventive
measures. Health educators must be proactive
in leading these prevention efforts or others
may step in who lack the necessary skills and
resources to do this critical job well.
Communicating About Disease Risk
Public health professionals must be conduits
of information in times of complacency and crisis.
When infectious disease outbreaks occur, there
may be tension between the public’s right to
know about potential health risks and the need
to avoid undue alarm. The goals of risk communication
are education, informed decision making about
the acceptability of risks, persuasion to modify
the behavior of individuals or communities,
and cooperation among all involved parties (e.g.,
government, health experts, industry, and the
public).
Strategies for Successful Risk Communication
- Remember that risk communication is an interactive
process. Trust is vital. Listen to people’s
concerns and address real-life situations.
As much as possible, explain what is known
or suspected in terms that the public can
easily understand. Strive to balance clarity
and simplicity with accuracy and completeness.
Avoid messages that are confusing or misleading.
Public satisfaction and the perception
that a message is helpful and truthful help
establish trust.
- Recognize that public perceptions of risk
are likely to differ from those of experts.
The public may tend to overestimate the risk
of sensationalized and infrequent events and
underestimate the risk of more familiar causes
of disease and death. Experts tend to define
issues narrowly and technically, and to minimize
the likelihood that something will go wrong.
- While media attention is given to dramatic
illnesses, the public has little awareness
of greater public health issues such as antimicrobial
resistance. Health officials must be prepared
to deal with the conflict between public complacency
and crisis. They must not only understand
the factors that promote the spread of different
infectious diseases, but they must be able
to communicate with diverse target audiences
(such as parents of young children, the immune-compromised,
the elderly, and migrants) without stigmatizing
anyone.
Public CDC Hotlines (Information
and referrals are anonymous and confidential.)
English Speakers Spanish
Speakers Hearing Impaired
- HIV/AIDS 1-800-342-AIDS 1-800-344-7432
1-800-243-7889
- Immunizations 1-800-232-2522
1-800-232-0233
- STDs 1-800-227-8922 Use HIV/AIDS
hotline
The CDC will also provide information via recorded
message, fax, or surface mail. Call 1-888-232-3228.
Infectious Diseases, Agents, and Modes of
Transmission
AGENT TYPE |
MODE OF TRANSMISSION |
|
Person-to-Person
(direct contact, airborne or droplet,
blood, sexual contact) |
Ingestion |
Contaminated Environment |
Vector-Borne |
Animal
Contact |
Bacteria |
Chlamydia
Diphtheria, Gonorrhea
H. influenzae b
Meningococcal disease
Pertussis, Syphilis
Tuberculosis
Group A & B streptococcus |
Botulism
Camphylobacter
Cholera, E. coli.
Salmonellosis
Shigellosis
Typhoid fever |
Legionellosis |
Lyme disease
Plague |
Cat-scratch
disease
Q fever
brucellosis |
Parasites |
Head lice
Scabies
Pinworms |
Amoebiasis
Cryptosporidiosis
Cyclosporiasis
Giardiasis
Hookworm
Tapeworm |
Schistosomiasis |
Malaria |
Toxicara |
Viruses |
AIDS
Chickenpox, Cold viruses
Ebola haemorrhagic fever
Hepatitis B and C
Herpes, Influenza
Measles, Mumps, Rubella |
Hepatitis A
Rotavirus |
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome |
Encephalitis
Dengue
Yellow fever |
Rabies
Monkey-pox |
Fungi |
Ringworm |
|
Histoplasmosis
Valley fever |
|
|