American aid workers recently were diagnosed with the Ebola virus. Interest is high with this deadly disease and many people have many questions about the real threat of a global crisis involving the Ebola virus. What we Know: Ebola is one of the most dangerous viruses that we know because of the severity of the disease it causes.…
Reprinted from the Weekly Bulletin covering Northeastern Santa Cruz County After nearly one year of being confined to 6-foot leashes and fenced-in yards, dogs in Southern Arizona may soon be able to run free without fear for rabies. A surprise outbreak led Santa Cruz County to issue a rabies quarantine in April 2014 to prevent…
Recently my brother suffered heart failure and had a five vein bypass. He is better and recovered stronger than before. One of the things that we found out was when his heart failed he had walking pneumonia. This did not cause his heart failure, but created the additional stress on this heart as he was…
South Korea reported a 10th death from a MERS outbreak on Thursday, although officials say they believe the disease has peaked. The victim was a 65-year-old man who had been treated for lung cancer and was hospitalized in the same facility as another MERS patient, the Health Ministry said. The outbreak of Middle East respiratory…
Pre-vaccine Era In the 9th century, a Persian doctor published one of the first written accounts of measles disease. Francis Home, a Scottish physician, demonstrated in 1757 that measles is caused by an infectious agent in the blood of patients. In 1912, measles became a nationally notifiable disease in the United States, requiring U.S. healthcare…
As U.S. relations with Cuba thaw, one unexpected byproduct could be the introduction of a Cuban-developed vaccine to fight against cancer. A vaccine in the U.S. Called Cimavax, an innovative vaccine that was developed to help treat lung cancer patients in Cuba, where lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death. The immunotherapy…
What is a Blood borne Pathogen? Exposures to blood and other body fluids occur across a wide variety of occupations. Health care workers, emergency response and public safety personnel, and other workers can be exposed to blood through needle-stick and other sharps injuries, mucous membrane, and skin exposures. The pathogens of primary concern are the…
Are you aware of antibiotic resistance? Do you know what it is? Did you know? 80% of all antibiotic use in the United States are given to poultry and other livestock 29.9 Million pounds are used to give to livestock 7.7 million pounds are used to treat sick people The Poultry Case Study Americans today…
In this month’s National Geographic, I came across a fascinating article about antibiotic resistance. The recent scare in California of a bacteria, spread in hospitals through a special type of scope used in the pancreas and bile ducts, is raising awareness. CRE is not only spread through medical devices, but through wounds and stool. The…
The Pre-Vaccine Era The history of measles dates back to the 9th century when a Persian doctor published one of the first written accounts of measles disease. Francis Home, a Scottish physician, demonstrated in 1757 that measles is caused by an infectious agent in the blood of patients. In 1912, measles became a nationally notifiable disease…