Rahmenkonzept zur Gefahrenabwehr bei außergewöhnlichen Seuchengeschehen - Maßnahmen des Gesundheitsamtes -

Abstract

Necessary anti-epidemic measures have to be promulgated or taken immediately in case of a suspected case of pneumonic plague or a viral haemorrhagic fever which can be transmitted from human to human. A live threatening highly contagious infectious disease may occur at any place in Germany. Therefore each health office should have the relevant information on the available infrastructure in Germany concerning treatment and competence centres, diagnostic laboratories, dispatch of samples and patient transportation. They should also be able to give qualified recommendations to physicians and hospitals concerning the necessary measures in such a case. Contacts at risk have to be notified. Based on a risk assessment and the special living conditions of the contact person they should decide if and which further measures have to be initiated, especially in the case of post-exposure prophylaxis, separation and prohibition of work. In general, imported cases of dangerous infectious diseases quickly find the interest of the media, including all the implications resulting from this. A well-organized cooperation with the media and public relations helps to avoid unnecessary irritations and panic.

Management of a Lassa fever outbreak, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, 2016

“…For rapid initial assessment and due to time constraints, we conducted ad hoc interviews by phone, using a short standardised questionnaire to estimate the individual extent of exposure. Individuals reporting or suspecting having had contact to the corpse, to a potential symptomatic case, or to their bodily fluids, were considered contact persons and classified into risk categories according to the German VHF recommendations ([ 26 ], Box ). We used the day of first exposure plus the minimum incubation period of 3 days as the earliest time point to produce secondary cases, in case symptom onset of a LF case and thus the beginning of the period of infectiousness could not be clearly discerned.…”

“… +: measure is recommended; -: measure is not recommended; *: measure to be considered on individual basis; LASV: Lassa virus; NA: not applicable. a Measures based on reference [ 26 ]. b For diagnostic testing, in case symptoms develop or disease progresses.…”

“… BSL: biosafety level; C: contact; IC: index case; NA: not applicable. a According to viral haemorrhagic fever recommendations [ 26 ]. …”

“…In Germany, there are two documents addressing the outbreak management of VHF: recommendations covering the outbreak management of VHF in general (published in 2001) [ 26 ], and another document addressing EVD in particular (triggered by the outbreak in West Africa and issued in March 2016) [ 22 ]. Both provide guidance and best practices with regard to diagnostics, treatment in dedicated facilities, biosafety, waste disposal, disinfection, logistics, contact tracing, risk classification, control measures, and post-process evaluation.…”

Die Forderung nach Internationalisierung der deutschen Forschung am Beispiel der Zeitschrift „Das Gesundheitswesen”. Ein Beitrag zur Qualitätssicherung anwendungsbezogener Forschung

“…Die Gruppe der Fachvertreter der Epidemiologie bilden die folgenden Autoren -wobei es hierbei große Überschneidungen mit der Fachvertretergruppe der Sozialmediziner gibt: Bergmann [107], Fock [108], Haberland [109], John [110], Schöneberg [111] und Tischer [112].…”