Noroviruses Case Study

The etiological agent are different- Botulism is caused by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, in contaminated foods while the Norovirus is caused by various etiological agents that are classified in infectious agents and toxic agents (from toxins).

What is the Norovirus? It is a acute gastroenteritis that is highly contagious and can affect anyone of any age (CDC.gov). Basically, a relative of the stomach flu. It can be seen anywhere, but it is most commonly found on a Cruise ship because it can spread quickly in the tight spaces. It is also called the Norwalk virus, mainly because it was first identified as the cause of an outbreak at a school in Norwalk, Ohio (Disabilitytravel.com). There is no known cure, only certain treatments to relieve the symptoms that come with it (Disabilitytravel.com). It has been seen often in the media over the past few years that it is scaring people away from cruising, thinking if they cruise, they will get sick. This is a disease that has made cruise line companies cut

The Norovirus belongs to the family called Caliciviridae. The norovirus causes gastroenteritis which is a condition that causes irritation and inflammation of the stomach and intestines. The norovirus is actually the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis.1

This paper presents the principles of infection control and management of Norovirus outbreak in an aged-care facility. Firstly, a scenario of the case is provided. Also, a brief description of Norovirus and the current trend in Australia is illustrated. It is followed by the three important issues to be addressed relevant to the case: (1) transmission of Norovirus in a nursing home, (2) important precautions to limit the spread of the infection, and (3) special nursing requirements of the elderly patients. In order to manage the outbreak effectively, this paper will assert the importance of rapid detection of outbreak and implementation of good infection control protocol. Furthermore, this paper will also promote the quality of residents

During the fall of 2008, three outbreaks of norovirus on college campuses in California, Michigan, and Wisconsin were reported to the CDC (Roberts, et al., 2015). Based on the approximately one-thousand reported cases, including ten hospitalizations, and closure of one of the campuses, public health investigations were led by the respective states and local health departments to characterize the extent of the outbreaks and implement control measures (Roberts, et al., 2015).

Viruses are extremely small organisms that may lead to illnesses in humans, animals and plants.Ranging from mild effects to sever disease. Norovirus is a genus of genetically diverse single-stranded RNA, non-enveloped viruses in the Caliciviridae family. The known viruses in the genus are all considered to be the variant strains of a single species called Norwalk virus.

It is pertinent to understand the dissemination process of Norovirus. The most common way of Norovirus transmission is through direct contact with the infected person. Person shedding the virus is highly contagious. Being in a semi-closed environment with an infected person, such as a common room in a nursing home can also facilitate infection. Another method of catching the Norovirus is by faecal-oral route. It can happen by touching surfaces contaminated with vomit and/or faeces from an infected person, as well as touching other fomite harbouring the virus. In addition to that, consumption of contaminated food and shellfish is also associated with transmission of the. Knowledge in Norovirus transmission process is necessary in devising

virus is a highly contagious virus causing inflammation to the wall of the column and stomach in the gastrointestinal tract. It is also known as acute gastroenteritis [1]. Norovirus is easily transmitted from person to person through simple exposures to the disease. These exposures are through a contaminated environment or contact with contaminated substances such as vomit, faecal, saliva, mucus and other bodily fluids. The virus is most easily spreadable through interacting in small areas where bodily fluids and aerosolized substances are most likely to be shared [2]. Sunrise Nursing Home has two elderly female residents showing symptoms of Norovirus. Mrs. Annabelle Mason is a 96 year old recently having abdominal pain and 3 episodes of diarrhea. Mrs. Mary Biggs also feels unwell and has abdominal pain.

Viruses that maintain their genomes as several distinct RNA molecules are referred to as segmented RNA viruses. They are ubiquitous and infect a wide variety of animals, plants and bacteria. A shared feature of segmented viruses is their ability to exchange genome segments in toto during co-infection through a process called reassortment. When two or more viruses or virus strains infect the same cell, they can accidentally package each other’s genomic segments during replication into a nascent virion-producing hybrid progeny. Reassortment hence creates virions that contain a random amount of genome segments from each of the parent virions. http://www.nature.com.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/nrmicro/journal/v14/n7/full/nrmicro.2016.46.html.

Norovirus is a healthcare associated infection which can cause morbidity and mortality (Weber et al. 2010, pg. 25). Norovirus is spread through ingesting food or liquids that are contaminated with norovirus and also from touching or being in contact with objects and people who are contaminated with pathogens from norovirus (Weber et al. 2010, pg. 25). According to Weber et al. 2010 (pg. 26), approximately 20%-40% of hospital acquired infections are because of cross infections through the healthcare worker’s hands. A simple and effective solution to lowering the risk of spreading Reginald’s infection around the hospital is hand hygiene by healthcare workers and even visitors within the hospital

There are roughly “10 to 15 million infections in the US each year” (University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2016) due to a non-polio enterovirus infection. The rare strain known as Enterovirus 68 , EV-D68 was first isolated in 1962 in the state of California. It is one of a 100 known enteroviruses, within a group called ssRNA virus that also contains poliovirus, coxsakievirus, and echovirus. EV-D68 is non-enveloped. Unlink all other enteroviruses it displays acid liability and a lower optimum growth temperature. Enterovirus D68 was previously called human rhinovirus 87 by researchers. Multiple outbreaks have been documented in other countries including Europe, Asia and Africa. In 2014 the United States experienced a nationwide outbreak of more than 1,100 people, in 49 states, were affected by a respiratory illness caused by enterovirus 68. In 2015, zero out

1. Personnel and especially food handlers - must meet health standards and take great care to maintain a high level of personal health.

Food is an essential constituent in human life. Nevertheless, some foods can be detrimental to a person’s organism by causing life-threatening diseases. For that reason, food safety comes into play. Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling,

With the presidential election peering around the corner, it is time to bring back an age-old topic which has been troubling United States citizens for decades, the War on Drugs. Politicians have long quarreled over what sort of action should be taken to combat the world’s drug problems, and it is time that this issue surfaces again. Despite increased efforts from every government faction imaginable, the drug problem subsists, if not worsens. The market for cops and criminals in the drug war fields has not made any noticeable progress within the last 20 years (Kapczynski). Perhaps with the turn of the tide and hopefully a change of administration, the United States can develop a

“A baby is something you carry inside you for nine months, in your arms for three years, and in your heart until the day you die” (Mary Mason par. 3). The author is introducing to the readers that the experience of being pregnant is nothing like you would ever expect. First and foremost, in order for a woman to get pregnant, they must have sexual intercourse. During sexual intercourse a male 's semen is expelled into the vagina, then the sperm enters the cervix and uterus, until it reaches the fallopian tubes. Once it’s reached the fallopian tubes the egg and the sperm join, resulting in a fertilized egg. Being pregnant is when an embryo or fetus develops in a woman 's uterus. The essence of pregnancy; it’s the most breathtaking thing you’ve ever experienced, but on the other it’s a long way from conception to birth. There’s no doubt that pregnancy induces a similar diversity of emotional and physiological responses, such as laughing, crying, screaming, dry skin, and all in just one day. Nothing compares to the miracle and magic of pregnancy. It’s a chance to be involved in life’s creative process. During this process, one will experience major changes. Being pregnant is like one moment one is thrilled, impatient and joyous. Then the next one feels anxious about a million unknowns. One of the ways one can increase their chances for a successful pregnancy is to learn as much as one can about what is happening, so one won’t be so overwhelmed. Simply educating oneself about