George, while working in the bar, ran a rusty nail through the bottom of his foot. What infectious disease should he be concerned about? Why is this disease usually associated with injuries from rusty nails? What are the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment for this disease?
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Essays: (at least 300 words per prompt)
1. George, while working in the bar, ran a rusty nail through the bottom of his foot. What infectious disease should he be concerned about? Why is this disease usually associated with injuries from rusty nails? What are the signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment for this disease?
2. A 16 year old was admitted in meningitis. What are the signs and symptoms of meningitis? What diagnostic test is use to diagnosis the cause of meningitis and how many types of meningitis are there? What is the recommended treatment for each type? What is the new recommendation for meningitis vaccinations (how many total and what age)?
3. As we age, most of us will experience changes in our hearing and vision. Discuss the signs and symptoms, diagnostic test, and treatment options for the following: Presbycusis and Macular degeneration.
4. Can mental illnesses be prevented, cured, or are people born with the illness, explain? What are some of the early warning signs of mental illness? Do you feel there is a social stigma around some or all mental illnesses, explain.
SAMPLE STUDENT ANSWER
Causes of Medical Problems
Healthcare professionals should know the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of medical conditions to prove quality and safe care. Health problems can be caused by either germ, such as virus, bacteria, fungi, amoeba, parasites, aging, or social issues. Having a deep understanding of the causes of health problems can help healthcare professionals provide quality and safe care.
For instance, such knowledge can help healthcare professionals know that tetanus is not caused by rust. The knowledge can also help the professionals understand that there are about six types of meningitis. In this essay, diseases caused by germs, aging, and social issues have been discussed. The diseases include tetanus, meningitis, presbycusis, macular degeneration, mental illnesses.
Tetanus
George should be worried about tetanus. Tetanus is a nervous system infection caused by a bacterium (Clostridium tetani) that produces a toxin (Chapeton-Montes et al., 2020). The disease affects the body by causing the contraction of the neck and jaw muscles. Tetanus is often linked to injuries from rusty nails because the objects are often located in soil rich in organic matter, such as dead leaves or manure. However, rust does not cause tetanus.
The infection is caused byClostridium tetani which are found in animal feces and soil. If one has a fresh wound and comes in contact with Clostridium tetani soil, the individual will suffer from tetanus infection.
The signs and symptoms of tetanus can progress and worsen after two or more weeks. The general symptoms of the disease include rigid abdominal muscles, difficulty swallowing, painful spasms, the tension of lips muscles, and rigidity in the neck muscles. The disease also causes painful muscle stiffness, rigidity, and spasms of the jaw muscles (Chapeton-Montes et al., 2020).
The disease may cause fever, rapid heart rate, extreme sweating, and high or low blood pressure as the disease progresses. Diagnosis of tetanus is based on the patient’s vaccination and medical history, physical exam, and the symptoms of muscle pain, spasms, and rigidity. No lab tests are needed to confirm that a patient has tetanus. However, if the doctor suspects that another medical problem might cause the symptoms, the physician will order a test to confirm his or her suspicions.
Tetanus is an emergency that should be handled in the hospital. If a patient has an infection, he or she will be immediately prescribed human tetanus immune globulin (TIG) (Wang et al., 2021). The physician will then care for the patient’s wound and prescribe medication to control muscle pain and spam. Antibiotics will be prescribed to ensure that the wound does not get infected. A physician will recommend that the patient be given a tetanus vaccine.
Meningitis
The symptoms of meningitis include seizures, difficulty concentrating, confusion, sudden high fever, headache with vomiting or nausea, sensitivity to light, difficulty waking or sleepiness, stiff neck, skin rash, thirst, and no appetite (Wilson et al., 2019). Meningitis can be diagnosed using blood tests. A blood test can identify the type of germ causing the disease. A CT scan or X-ray can also be ordered to identify if the patient has inflammation or swelling in the head.
A spinal tap will be needed for a more accurate diagnosis of meningitis. A patient is said to have meningitis if a spinal tap shows increased protein, white blood cell count, and low sugar. There are six types of meningitis,: fungal meningitis, bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis, parasitic meningitis, amebic meningitis, and non-infectious meningitis (Wilson et al., 2019). The types of meningitis are treated differently. Bacterial meningitis is caused by bacteria and is treated using intravenous antibiotics. This type of meningitis is chronic and should be treated immediately in a hospital.
A virus causes viral meningitis. Vital meningitis cures on its own. The treatment plan for viral meningitis includes taking plenty of fluids, bed rest, and over-the-counter pain drugs to relieve body aches and reduce fever.
Fungal meningitis is treated using a long course of high-dose intravenous antifungal drugs. This disease should be treated in a hospital. Meningitis caused by parasites has no specific treatment. Pain medications can be used to suppress its symptoms and reduce how the body reacts to the parasite. Amphotericin can treat amebic meningitis. Cope et al. (2016) noted Amphotericin B 1 mg/kg/d IV × 19 d; 0.1 mg IT × 5 d can be used to treat adults with amebic meningitis.
Non-infectious meningitis is treated using antibiotics. Meningitis can be prevented using vaccinations. The CDC recommends that children between 11-12 years should get the MenACWY vaccine with a booster at age 16 (Center for Disease Control, 2021). Adolescents are aged 16-23 are recommended to get the MenB vaccine.
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Presbycusis and Macular Degeneration
Presbycusis is most common in older people aged 65 years and above. Presbycusis, also known as age-related hearing loss is the decline in hearing a person might experience as they age (Wang & Puel, 2020). The condition’s symptoms include reading lips when other people speak, turning TV or radio volume up, trouble hearing when in crowded places, tinnitus in both or one ear, and difficulty making out pitches, such as electronic sounds and children’s voices.
Presbycusis diagnosis starts with ear examination. An otoscope can help a physician observe a patient’s outer ear canal and eardrum. The doctor can also check for infection or swelling of the eardrum. Treatment of presbycusis depends on its severity. It can be treated by giving the patient hearing aids (Wang & Puel, 2020). The patient can also be provided an assistive listening device to improve his or her hearing. If the hearing loss is severe, the patient can be prescribed Cochlear implants.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common eye disorder among people aged 50 years and above because of thinning of the macula. The condition can cause permanent and severe vision loss. The disease symptoms include increased blurriness, difficulty recognizing faces, decreased brightness or intensity of colors, a well-defined blind spot, visual distortions, and reduced central vision (Stahl, 2020).
The condition can either occur in wet or dry form. People with dry AMD have drusen in their macula, and those with wet AMD have blood vessels below their macula. Diagnosis of the disease starts by examining the back of the patient’s eye. The physician can use the Amsler grid to test the defects in the patient’s vision during the examination. Another test is fluorescein angiography. This test is used to check for abnormal blood vessels, which are a sign of AMD.
The disease can be treated using low vision rehabilitation to help the patient adapt to changing vision (Stahl, 2020). The patient can also be recommended to undergo surgery for implantation of a telescopic lens.
Mental Illness
Mental illness can be prevented. One way to prevent mental illness is educating people about strategies they can use to cope with stress (Lanfredi et al., 2019). Stress is one of the triggers of mental health problems. If people know how to cope with stress, they are less likely to develop mental health problems. Mental health problems can also be prevented using physical activity. Exercises prevent mental health issues by reducing depression, anxiety, negative mood and improving cognitive function and self-esteem.
Mental illnesses can also be prevented by getting regular medical care, seeking help early, and paying attention to warning signs. Mental health problems cannot be cured. Medications available are used to manage the symptoms of mental health problems. Bogaers et al. (2022) noted that medications could improve the symptoms of mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety disorders. Available treatments for mental illnesses are meant to improve the quality of life of people with the diseases, not to cure the disorders.
Symptoms of mental illnesses include suicidal thinking, sex drive changes, excessive anger, violence or hostility, problems with drug use or alcohol, feeling down or sad, changes in eating habits, trouble concentrating, excessive worries, fears, or feelings of guilt, extreme mood changes of lows and highs, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, low energy, and extreme stress (O’Cionnaith et al., 2021). In some instances, mental illnesses can cause headaches, back pain, and stomach pain.
Some mental health problems experience social stigma. Social stigma is a situation where people disapprove of certain conditions and associate them with negative things. Examples of mental illnesses that experience social stigma include compulsive sexual behavior and alcohol or drug use disorders. People with these disorders might fail to seek help because of society’s fear of being judged and discriminated against.
Their family members might also fail to understand them. People might also be reluctant to speak out because of fear of losing their jobs, family, and friends. Some people in society do not like to associate themselves with people with mental illnesses, which can prevent patients with the disorders from coming out.
Summary
This paper has discussed four diseases. The first condition is tetanus. Clostridium tetani cause tetanus. Its symptoms include rigid abdominal muscles, difficulty swallowing, painful spasms, the tension of lips muscles, and rigidity in the neck muscles. The disease also causes painful muscle stiffness, rigidity, and spasms of the jaw muscles. Its treatment includes TIG, wound care, pain management, and antibiotics. The second disease is meningitis. The disease is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, amoeba, parasites, and others that occur in non-infectious forms.
Its treatment depends on the cause. The third disease is presbycusis. This disease is an age-related condition that causes hearing problems. It is treated by providing hearing aids, Cochlear implants, or assistive listening devices. The fourth disease is AMD. It causes vision problems and can be treated through surgery or rehabilitation. Lastly, the paper discussed mental illnesses. Mental illnesses have no cure. Medications are used to manage their symptoms.
Conclusion
Clostridium tetani cause tetanus. The main symptoms of tetanus include rigidity in the jaw and neck muscles. The disease is associated with rusty nails because they are found in soil contaminated by Clostridium tetani. Tetanus is a medical emergency treated with TIG, wound care, pain management, and antibiotics. Meningitis causes fever, difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to light, and stiff neck. There are six types of meningitis: fungal meningitis, bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis, parasitic meningitis, amebic meningitis, and non-infectious meningitis.
Treatment of meningitis depends on its cause. Meningitis vaccines include the MenACWY vaccine for people aged 11-12 and the MenB vaccine for individuals aged 16-23. Presbycusis causes hearing loss. It can be diagnosed using an otoscope. Treatment of the disease includes hearing aids, assistive listening devices, and Cochlear implants. AMD causes eye problems. It can be treated through surgery or low vision therapy. Mental illness can be prevented through education, regular health check-up, and physical exercise. Medications available are used to manage the symptoms of mental problems. Some people in society do not like to associate themselves with people with mental illnesses, which can prevent patients with the disorders from coming out.
References
Bogaers, R., Geuze, E., Greenberg, N., Leijten, F., Varis, P., van Weeghel, J., … & Brouwers, E. (2022). Seeking treatment for mental illness and substance abuse: a cross-sectional study on attitudes, beliefs, and needs of military personnel with and without mental illness. Journal of psychiatric research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.01.028
Center for Disease Control. (2021). Meningococcal vaccination. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/index.html
Chapeton-Montes, D., Plourde, L., Deneve, C., Garnier, D., Barbirato, F., Colombié, V., … & Popoff, M. R. (2020). Tetanus toxin synthesis is under the control of a complex network of regulatory genes in clostridium tetani. Toxins, 12(5), 328. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12050328
Cope, J. R., Conrad, D. A., Cohen, N., Cotilla, M., DaSilva, A., Jackson, J., & Visvesvara, G. S. (2016). Use of the novel therapeutic agent miltefosine for the treatment of primary amebic meningoencephalitis: Report of 1 fatal and 1 surviving case. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 62(6), 774-776. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/civ1021
Lanfredi, M., Macis, A., Ferrari, C., Rillosi, L., Ughi, E. C., Fanetti, A., Younis, N., Cadei, L., Gallizioli, C., Uggeri, G., & Rossi, R. (2019). Effects of education and social contact on mental health-related stigma among high-school students. Psychiatry research, 281, 112581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112581
O’Cionnaith, C., Wand, A. P., & Peisah, C. (2021). Navigating the Minefield: Managing Refusal of Medical Care in Older Adults with Chronic Symptoms of Mental Illness. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 16, 1315. https://dx.doi.org/10.2147%2FCIA.S311773
Stahl, A. (2020). The diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 117(29-30), 513. https://dx.doi.org/10.3238%2Farztebl.2020.0513
Wang, J., & Puel, J. L. (2020). Presbycusis: an update on cochlear mechanisms and therapies. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(1), 218. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9010218
Wang, Y., Wu, C., Yu, J., Lin, S., Liu, T., Zan, L., … & Liao, H. X. (2021). Structural basis of tetanus toxin neutralization by native human monoclonal antibodies. Cell Reports, 35(5), 109070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109070
Wilson, M. R., Sample, H. A., Zorn, K. C., Arevalo, S., Yu, G., Neuhaus, J., … & Chiu, C. Y. (2019). Clinical metagenomic sequencing for diagnosis of meningitis and encephalitis. New England Journal of Medicine, 380(24), 2327-2340. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1803396
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