1. Common Vaccine-Preventable Childhood Infectious Diseases

1.1 MMR vaccine (viral)

• Measles
  • rubeola virus
  • spread through respiratory droplets or airborne transmission
  • signs & symptoms:
    • fever, cough, runny nose, and fatigue, followed by a rash that usually begins on the head and spreads to cover the body
    • grayish spots (Koplik spots)often develop inside the mouth before the rash appears
  • diagnosis: history of exposure, Koplik spots, rash
  • treatment: no cure, usually runs its course in 7~10 days
    • pain relievers, fever reducers
• Mumps
  • paramyxovirus
  • spread by contact with respiratory secretions or saliva or through fomites
  • signs & symptoms:
    • start with a fever up to 103F, headache, loss of appetite
    • hallmark ss: swelling & pain in the parotid glands (the largest of the salivary glands)
    • in adolescent & adult males: orchitis
  • diagnosis: history of exposure, ss
  • treatment: pain relievers and fever reducers
• Rubella (German measles or three-day measles)
  • rubella virus
  • spread by respiratory droplets, by airborne transmission, and can also be transmitted from pregnant women to their fetus
  • when occurs in pregnant woman, may cause congenital rubella syndrome
  • signs & symptoms:
    • rash pink or light red spots
    • more common in teens & adults: headache, loss of appetite, mild conjunctivitis, stuffy/runny nose, swollen lymph nodes, pain & swelling in the joints (especially in young women)
  • diagnosis: history of exposure, xx, throat culture
  • treatment: pain relievers, fever reducers

1.2 Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis vaccine (bacterial)

• Whooping cough
  • Cordetella pertussis
  • spread by contact with respiratory droplets
  • signs & symptoms:
    • first symptoms: runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, low-grade fever
    • after 1-2 wks: coughing spells that end with a whooping sound when the paitient breathes in
  • diagnosis: symptoms, bacterial cultures of the nose & throat
  • treatment: antibiotics
• Diphtheria
  • Corynebacterium diptheriae
  • primarily spread by respiratory droplets, transmission by fomites is rare
  • signs & symptoms:
    • early symptoms: ow-grade fever and a sore throat
    • thick coating in the nose, throat, or airway that may hinder breathing & swallowing (caused by toxin)
    • In the bloodstream the toxin can cause damage to the heart, kidneys, and nervous sys- tem
  • Up to 50% of patients who do not get treatment die
  • diagnosis: throat culture
  • treatment: antibiotics and antitoxin
• Tetanus
  • Clostridium tetani
  • bacteria are found in contaminated soil and animal excrement and enter the body via wounds
  • signs & symptoms: causing stiff neck, lock jaw, muscle spasms, and difficulty swallowing (toxin effects nervous system)
  • diagnosis: history of exposure, signs, and symptoms
  • treatment: antibiotics and injection of tetanus immunoglobulin to neutralize the tetanus toxin

1.3 Chickenpox (viral infection)

• varicella zoster virus
• spread by direct contact, drop-let transmission, and airborne transmission
• signs & symptoms:
  • begin with a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, fever, and a cough
  • few days later: itchy rash appears, usually on the chest and face; At first, the rash looks like pinkish dots that quickly develop a small blister on top; After about 24–48 hours, the fluid in the blisters gets cloudy and the blisters begin to crust over.
  • Chickenpox blisters show up in waves, so after some begin to crust over, a new group of spots may appear
• diagnosis: history of exposure and the rash
• treatment: treatments to control scratching (corn starch dusting, calamine lotion, and baking soda baths), pain relievers, and fever reducers

1.4 Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (bacterium)

• cause meningitis, pneumonia, etc.
• spread by respiratory droplets
• signs & symptoms:
  • cough, fever, chills, lack of appetite, extreme sleepiness, severe headache, and stiff neck or back
  • serious cases: mental confusion, convulsions, shock, and coma