Emerging infectious diseases: Implications for primary care

Abstract

It is important for practice nurses to be aware of emerging infectious diseases. Gail Beckett and Alexander Kumar explain how two significant diseases have recently emerged

Emerging infectious disease preparedness and response in healthcare: perspectives from COVID-19 and the role of College-Learnt Microbiology

“…However further investigations identified MERS-CoVs in at least 14 species of bats from two bat families, Nycteridae and Vespertilionidae confirming that camels were intermediates (21). Patients infected by MERS-CoV present with fever and cough, which progress to severe pneumonia and in some cases diarrhea is the first symptom to appear following an incubation of up to 14 days (17). Similar to the COVID-19 pandemic caused SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV causes severe disease in individuals with weak immunity and those with underlying conditions such as diabetes and chronic lung disease.…”

“…Primarily, the interface between humans, animal and the environment. Human encroachment into new environments is one key factor fueling exposure to new infectious agents such the Ebola Virus Disease in 2014/2015 in West Africa (17). Chikungunya and Zika are other examples of emerging viruses that have made headlines in past few years.…”

“…Chikungunya and Zika are other examples of emerging viruses that have made headlines in past few years. Chikungunya, a mosquitoborne virus which was first reported in 1952, recently mutated causing infections in several regions mainly Africa, Asia and the Americas with more than 1.25 million cases (17). In 2009, an emerging fungal pathogen Candida auris was identified in a Japanese patient.…”