Types and prevention of epidemic infectious diseases

The most terrifying thing about epidemic infectious diseases is that they are contagious, and family members are the first people to be infected. At the same time, the treatment of epidemic infectious diseases is longer and more difficult to cure than other common diseases, such as the common cold and influenza. Therefore, epidemic infectious diseases are diseases that need to be avoided. To this end, let us learn about the types and prevention of epidemic infectious diseases.

Types of symptoms

1. Influenza (flu) Influenza, also known as flu, is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by influenza virus. It is highly contagious and its incidence ranks first among infectious diseases. The incubation period is 1-3 days. The main symptoms are fever, headache, runny nose, sore throat, dry cough, muscle and joint pain all over the body, etc. The fever usually lasts for 3-4 days. It may also manifest as more severe pneumonia or gastrointestinal influenza. The main sources of infection are patients and asymptomatic carriers, and the infectious period is 1 week. The main transmission route is direct transmission through airborne droplets, but it can also be indirectly transmitted through objects contaminated by the virus. The general population is susceptible to influenza.

2. Meningococcal meningitis (epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis) Epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis is abbreviated as meningococcal meningitis. It is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by meningococci and is highly contagious. The early stages of meningococcal disease are similar to those of a cold, with symptoms such as runny nose, cough, headache, fever, etc. After the bacteria enter the cerebrospinal fluid, the headache worsens, and serious symptoms such as drowsiness, neck stiffness, projectile vomiting, coma and shock occur. The main sources of infection are patients or carriers, and the main route of transmission is direct transmission through airborne droplets. The incubation period is generally 2-3 days, and the longest is one week. The general population is susceptible, and it is more common in young children.

3. Measles Measles is an acute infectious disease caused by the measles virus. The incubation period is 8-12 days and it can usually be cured in about 10 days. The typical clinical symptoms can be summarized as "three, three, three", namely, the prodromal period of 3 days: a moderate fever of about 38 degrees appears 3 days before the rash, accompanied by cough, runny nose, tearing, photophobia, and grayish white spots appear on the buccal mucosa of the mouth (this is a characteristic); the rash period of 3 days: the body temperature rises to about 40 degrees on the 4th and 5th day of the disease, and red maculopapular rash starts from the head and gradually spreads to the trunk, upper limbs, and lower limbs; the recovery period of 3 days: 3-4 days after the rash, the body temperature gradually returns to normal, the rash begins to subside, and the skin remains with bran-like desquamation and brown pigmentation. Measles is transmitted through respiratory droplets, and the patient is the only source of infection. After the disease, people can acquire lasting immunity, and a second attack is extremely rare. People who have never had measles and have not been vaccinated against measles are generally susceptible, especially children aged 6 months to 5 years, who have the highest incidence rate (accounting for 90%).

4. Chickenpox Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. The typical clinical manifestation of chickenpox is low to moderate fever, followed by the rapid appearance of red maculopapular rashes in batches, which quickly develop into clear oval-shaped blisters. After 24 hours, the blisters become turbid and easily rupture, then shrink from the center and quickly form scabs. Clinically, papules, vesicles, and crusts often exist at the same time and are distributed centripetally, that is, first on the trunk, then on the head, face, and limbs, but less frequently on the hands and feet, and the itching is severe. After receiving regular treatment, if there is no concurrent infection, it can usually be cured within 7-10 days. The main source of infection is patients. The transmission route is respiratory droplet infection and contact with eating utensils, toys, bedding and towels contaminated with varicella virus. The general population is susceptible, especially children. Because the disease is highly contagious, patients must be isolated early until all rashes are dry and crusted.

5. Mumps is an acute, systemic infectious disease caused by the mumps virus, which can usually be cured in about 2 weeks. Typical clinical symptoms are fever, diffuse swelling and pain in the cheeks and submandibular area under the ears. The characteristic of parotid swelling is that it spreads forward, backward and downward with the earlobe as the center, and may be complicated by meningoencephalitis, acute pancreatitis, etc. The source of infection is mumps patients or latently infected people, and the virus infects healthy people through droplets. It is more common in children and adolescents, with a good prognosis and lasting immunity after the illness.

6. Rubella Rubella is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by rubella virus. Spring is the peak season for rubella. At the beginning, there is usually only low fever and very mild cold symptoms. The rash usually appears 1 to 2 days after the onset of the disease. The shape and distribution of the rash are similar to measles. The rash quickly spreads from the face to the whole body in just 1 day. The rash appears when the fever occurs and disappears with the fever. These are the characteristics of rubella. Swollen lymph nodes behind the occipital bone, behind the ears, and in the neck are also common signs of this disease. Rubella patients, people who carry the rubella virus but do not develop the disease, and congenital rubella patients are the sources of infection of this disease. Both children and adults can get this disease. It is contagious 5 to 7 days before and 3 to 5 days after onset of the disease. It is most contagious on the day of onset and the day before. Once infected, you are essentially permanently protected. Air droplet transmission is the main route of transmission of rubella, and it can also be transmitted through close daily contact. Rubella does not require special treatment. After the diagnosis is clear, observe at home, take good care of skin and oral hygiene, give easily digestible and nutritious liquid or semi-liquid food, and pay attention to quiet rest.

7. Scarlet fever Scarlet fever is an acute respiratory infectious disease mainly caused by group A streptococcus. In the early stage, the pharynx is congested and the tonsils are red and swollen, manifested by symptoms such as fever, sore throat, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Generally, a rash appears within 24 hours of fever, starting behind the ears, neck, and upper chest, and spreading to the entire body within a day. The rash is bright red and the size of a needle tip, some of which look like "goose bumps". If pressed with your fingers, the redness will temporarily subside, and the skin at the pressed area will turn pale. After more than ten seconds, the skin will return to its scarlet color. The face is congested and flushed, but there is no rash. The area around the lips and the tip of the nose appear pale, and the papillae of the tongue are red and swollen. The sources of infection of scarlet fever are patients and carriers. It is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets and occasionally through contact. The general population is susceptible, especially children and adolescents. There are specific therapeutic drugs for this disease with good therapeutic effects, so the cure rate is high and the harm has been significantly reduced, but early diagnosis and correct treatment are the key.

Precautions:

1. Open doors and windows regularly for natural ventilation. This can effectively reduce the number of microorganisms in the indoor air, improve the indoor air quality, and regulate the microclimate of the room. It is the simplest and most effective method of indoor air disinfection. The school will also plan to implement air disinfection measures such as ultraviolet light irradiation and drug spraying.

2. Get vaccinated. Common infectious diseases generally have vaccines now. Planned artificial automatic immunization is the main link in preventing various infectious diseases. Preventive vaccines are the best proactive means to prevent the occurrence of infectious diseases.

3. Developing good hygiene habits is the key to preventing spring infectious diseases. Keep the study and living places clean and avoid piling up garbage. Be sure to wash your hands according to the prescribed procedures before meals, after defecation, and when returning from outside. Cover your mouth and nose with toilet paper when sneezing, coughing, and cleaning your nose. Do not throw used toilet paper around. Change, wash, and dry clothes and bedding frequently. Do not spit anywhere, and do not mix personal hygiene products.

4. Strengthen exercise and enhance immunity. In spring, the human body's metabolism begins to flourish, which is a good time for exercise. We should actively participate in physical exercise, go to the suburbs and outdoors more often to breathe fresh air, and exercise every day to keep our blood flowing, stretch our muscles and bones, and enhance our physical fitness. When exercising, you must pay attention to climate changes, avoid morning fog and sandstorms, arrange the amount of exercise reasonably, and monitor your physical condition yourself, so as to avoid adverse effects on your body.

5. Live a regular life. Getting enough sleep, living a regular life and getting enough sleep are very important for improving your own resistance. We should arrange our work and rest schedule properly, lead a regular life, and combine work and rest. Whether studying or other activities that make the body overtired will inevitably lead to a decreased ability to resist disease and make it easy to be infected by viruses.

6. Pay attention to details about clothing and food. The climate in spring is changeable, with sudden changes from warm to cold. If you suddenly take off your clothes, it will easily reduce the body's respiratory immunity, making it easy for pathogens to invade. You must add or remove clothes in time according to weather changes, and must not take off too much at once. Arrange your diet reasonably. Don't eat too spicy food, as it will increase your internal heat. Don't eat too much greasy food either. To reduce irritation to the respiratory tract, you should not smoke or drink, drink plenty of water, take in enough vitamins, and eat more foods rich in high-quality protein, carbohydrates and trace elements, such as lean meat, eggs, dates, honey, fresh vegetables and fruits, etc.

7. Don’t be afraid to see a doctor when you are ill. Since infectious diseases in spring often have cold-like symptoms in the early stages and are easily ignored, it is important to seek medical attention promptly if you feel unwell, especially if you have a fever. A clear diagnosis should be made as soon as possible and treatment should be provided in a timely manner. If there is an infectious disease, isolation measures should be taken immediately to prevent the spread of the disease.

The above is an introduction to the types and prevention of epidemic infectious diseases. It should be noted here that epidemic infectious diseases are sometimes difficult to prevent, so when an epidemic infectious disease occurs, you need to actively receive treatment, pay attention to keeping warm, pay attention to diet and improve your body's immunity. In addition, it is best to avoid contact with others after you are sick to avoid infection.