Case Study #3 – E. coli and the Chronic Disease Continuum
In the current world, healthcare is described by a grizzled populace. To be specific, many individuals experiencing chronic illness and extraordinary influence on everyday experience are implied by this trend. However, the vast growing knowledge of medical technics and advancing technology has enabled more diagnostic and treatment possibilities. In this case, substantial healthcare complexity increases a situation that has become a primary priority requirement in healthcare systems and management due to these trends. Bearing in mind that the nurses must assist patients in finding their inspiration to acquire better health, all necessary output in healthcare is required. In achieving this, there are different tools that nurses can utilize in guiding patients in the right direction. One of the main tools used in this cause is the health continuum. Therefore, the health continuum can be demonstrated as an illustration that draws a connection amid the treatment paradigm and the wellness paradigm. With this understanding, this paper will help the learner understand the Chronic Disease Continuum in the context of the Escherichia coli case study.
- Environmental determinant (e.g., E. coli). Describe the incubation period, clinical syndrome, pathophysiology, characteristic foods, and specimens.
Bearing in mind that different factors can contribute to the spread of chronic disease, it will focus on environmental factors (Geller, Stacie, et al. 152). It is noted that chronic disease can be initiated from one person bearing a single germ such as E. coli (Escherichia coli). Still, many of the major chronic diseases have no single cause. In the context of E. coli bacteria, the study has shown that the bacterium inhabits mainly the lower intestines of warm-blooded animals; this includes humans. The bacteria are discharged in the environment through feces or even through the wastewater effluent. Even though it is said that most types of E. coli bacteria are harmless as they can only cause relatively brief diarrhea to the infected patient, other nasty strains can have the potential to cause chronic illnesses.
Although people may think that E. coli cannot cause chronic illnesses to the population, if the bacteria are not controlled, it can lead to a considerable mortality rate like any other chronic disease. Environmentally, the bacteria have a potential means of transmission as the ways of affecting people are very prone (O'Connor et al. 1051). Environmental determinants of E. coli being daily intakes such as water and food; if contaminated with these bacteria, a massive death can be experienced.
The incubation period can be described from the infection introduction to the contaminating bacteria and the beginning of medical sickness. Precise information on this boundary is valuable in contracting the conceivable period of introduction, eliminating optional circumstances, and proclaiming the final stage of the outbreak. Additionally, it is valuable to understand the pathogenesis of E. coli and to assess the conceivable degree of the infection of diseases. In the vast eminent STEC O104 flare-up in Germany, the development time was extensive than anticipated bringing about testing epidemiological examinations, especially while grouping applicable introduction details.
Regardless of its significance, accessible reports on the incubation time of E. coli are contradicting, for example, the varying expected disseminations projected by the Health ministry and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (WHO). Therefore the incubation period of the E. coli (Escherichia coli) is estimated to be 3-4 days after a person is exposed. Still, in some cases, the time can be short even to one day.
The irresistible portion of E.coli O157: H7 is, anyway, low. One examination shows that as not many as ten effective microbes can cause ailment in people. The pathogenesis of E. coli: H7 effects from its creation of Shiga poison that harms the digestive tract by sloughing off of colonic mucosa cells and outcomes in hemorrhagic looseness of the bowels (Clark, William F., et al. 34) The Shiga poison has systematic affects vascular endothelial cells, bringing about vasculitis, and shows in hemolytic uremic disorder, stomach torment, and seldom, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (Clark, William F., et al. 34). E. coli 0157:H7 Shiga poison starts the incendiary course that causes leukocyte total, apoptosis of the influenced cells, platelet collection, microthrombi development, hemolysis, and renal brokenness, as the renal glomeruli have specific helplessness to a microthrombi arrangement. According to Awofisayo-Okuyelu, A. et al. study, E. coli 0157: H7 Shiga poison impact shows in the kidney and its most extreme indications; it can bring about a prolix vasculitic grievance that influences numerous structure frameworks and different organ letdowns.
- Health risk behaviors and other factors.
Risk factors are things that people experience throughout their lives that help in building infection conditions. These factors can be demonstrated by various items such as family, exposure to the environment, age, gender, ethnicity, or even being healthy. However, if one has no risk factors, one should undergo medical screening to avoid later implications. Also, it is essential to seek healthcare attention to confirm whether one is supposed to undergo health screening. For many individual behaviors determines the impacts and the extent by which various risk factors can be controlled. In this case, individuals are expected to ensure the food and water consumed is clean and free from contamination.
- Chronic conditions.
Escherichia coli O157 (E. coli O157) has been connected to the gastrointestinal sickness in people, including various food and waterborne episodes around the world. The O157 serogroup of E. coli is of specific worry as it is connected with severe side effects, such as hemolytic uremic condition (HUS), and the primary source of intense renal disappointment in children (Awofisayo-Okuyelu et al. 132). Also, chronic conditions, for example, receptive joint pain (ReA), peevish gut disorder (IBS), incendiary inside illness (IBD), and Guillain Barré condition (GBS), have likely connected to contamination by foodborne pathogens, for example, E. coli O157.
The Health ministries presented the International Weight of Illness exertion to extend infection trouble gauges past death rates. Diarrheal illness is evaluated to be the fifth driving reason for bleakness around the world, causing an expected 2.2 million deaths every year. As diarrheal sickness can be brought about by numerous pathogens, the specific number of cases ascribed to E. coli O157 is unsure. An expanded comprehension of malady movement and the sequelae related to E. coli O157 contamination could help endeavors to grow progressively precise weight of ailment (BOD) gauges for E. coli O157.
- Chronic Disease -adult or childhood.
The chronic disease in this context as different impacts as far as age is concerned. Younger children are likely to experience more consequences than adults. However, the associations among episodic and chronic contaminations and lack of healthy sustenance are intricate and bi-directional (Walson, Judd & James 231). For instance, children with ailing health seem to be at significantly complicated danger of diarrhea, with equally more significant frequency and expanded seriousness announced in undernourished children. Notwithstanding an expanded recurrence of irresistible sickness, children with a lack of healthy sustenance are at substantially more severe danger of increasingly severe sickness and endure altogether progressively intense and prolonged haul grimness and mortality when tainted. A clearer detachment between the acute condition and foundation dangers has been made (Awofisayo-Okuyelu et al. 142). Youngsters with E. coli are bound to contemporaneous mind in any coordinated event administration of youth disease (IMCI) threat sign. They might be bound to have a microbial pathogen distinguished as a likely causal specialist of the runs than no malnourished youngsters.
Conclusion
From the above case study, it can be attested that considering the effects of patients and the outbreak characteristics on the incubation period are significant for the public health professionals in the context of E. coli and the Chronic Disease Continuum. By considering this, it will assist in extending or limiting the exploratory period as they collect the necessary information. However, further study is needed to control the impact of appearances that have not been observed.
Work cited
Awofisayo-Okuyelu, A., et al. "Analysis of individual patient data to describe the incubation period distribution of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli." Epidemiology & Infection 147 (2019).
Clark, William F., et al. "Long term risk for hypertension, renal impairment, and cardiovascular disease after gastroenteritis from drinking water contaminated with Escherichia coli O157: H7: a prospective cohort study." Bmj 341 (2010).
Geller, Stacie, et al. "The continuum of maternal morbidity and mortality." American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 189.6 (2003): S152.
O'Connor, Siobhán M., Christopher E. Taylor, and James M. Hughes. "Emerging infectious determinants of chronic diseases." Emerging infectious diseases 12.7 (2006): 1051.
Walson, Judd L., and James A. Berkley. "The impact of malnutrition on childhood infections." Current opinion in infectious diseases 31.3 (2018): 231.
World Health Organization. Antimicrobial resistance global report on surveillance: 2014 summary. No. WHO/HSE/PED/AIP/2014.2. World Health Organization, 2014.
