Editor’s Note - October 2014

From Ebola to enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) and chikungunya, widespread diseases have recently captured national and international headlines. Primary care practitioners are often the first to see these patients who may be seriously ill and in need of medical treatment. Here are the latest CDC updates: 

Ebola

What is known? The 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history, affecting multiple countries in West Africa with a current death toll of 6668.¹ On September 30, the CDC confirmed the first diagnosed case of Ebola in the United States in a person who traveled from West Africa to Dallas, TX, and only began developing symptoms 5 days after arrival.² 

What can primary care do? The CDC maintains that the risk of an Ebola outbreak in the United States is very low. The US public and medical systems have prior experience treating sporadic cases of disease, such as Ebola, and have successfully halted the transmission. The CDC stresses that a patient is only contagious when experiencing active symptoms and the disease only spreads through contact with fluid; isolation and case findings, including reaching out to all those exposed, is the first priority.² 

Enterovirus D68

What is known? From mid-August to early October, the CDC has confirmed 514 respiratory illnesses in 43 states that are caused by EV-D68.³ Infants, children, and teenagers are most likely to be infected, with symptoms ranging from fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough, body and muscle aches, to wheezing and difficulty breathing. The CDC confirms 4 reported deaths this year.³ Small numbers of EV-D68 are reported regularly since 1987, but this year the numbers are much higher.³ 

What can primary care do? Though there is no vaccine or preventive medication for EV-D68, parents and children should thoroughly wash their hands frequently, avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth, take asthma medication as prescribed, seek medical attention for trouble breathing, and stay home if sick.

Consultant360 recently featured several infectious disease stories:

• Cause of herpes virus reactivation revealed. Researchers are now understanding
how and why viruses like herpes can remain dormant for long periods of time and then suddenly reactivate.⁴

• Researchers discover how Listeria survives antibiotics. Listeria cells produce unique RNA molecules after exposure to certain substances during digestion.⁵

• Rifamycin more effective than longer, expensive TB treatments. Therapies for tuberculosis that contain rifamycin are a good alternative to isonlazid monotherapy.⁶

Sincerely,

Pooja Shah

Managing Editor, Consultant and Consultant360

References:

1.CDC. 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa. 2014 Oct 2. www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/index.html. Accessed October 3, 2014.

2.CDC. First imported case of Ebola diagnosed in the United States. 2014 Sep 30. www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/united-states-imported-case.html. Accessed October 3, 2014.

3.CDC. Enterovirus D68 in the Unted States, 2014. 2014 Oct 2. www.cdc.gov/non-polio-enterovirus/outbreaks/EV-D68-outbreaks.html. Accessed October 3, 2014.

4.Potts M. Cause of herpes virus reactivation revealed. Consultant360. 2014 Jun 27. www.consultant360.com/exclusives/cause-herpes-virus-reactivation-revealed. Accessed October 1, 2014.

5.Canales M. Researchers discover how listeria survives antibiotics. Consultant360. 2014 Aug 28. www.consultant360.com/exclusives/researchers-discover-how-listeria-survives-antibiotics. Accessed October 1, 2014.

6.Potts M. Rifamycin more effective than longer, expensive TB treatments. Consultant360. 2014 Aug 12. www.consultant360.com/exclusives/rifamycin-more-effective-longer-expensive-tb-regimens. Accessed October 1, 2014.