Causes and Effects of Emergent Human Diseases and Ecological Diseases

Environmental diseases are illnesses and conditions that result from manmade environmental problems. We are surrounded by these hazards that can contribute to illnesses. Pesticides, chemicals, radiation, air pollution and water pollution are some examples of these hazards. The likelihood of an individual developing a specific disease depends on the hazards present in their environment and genetic susceptibility to a specific hazard. Radiation is near and dear to my heart, as I work in the field and this is a hazard that I would like to address. Some sources of radiation are manmade like medical imaging and nuclear power plants. Radiation is energy that passes through space. The most important consequence on human tissue is the potential damage it can conflict on DNA.

When the radiation passes through our bodies it damages cells or causes cell death. There are many side effects that are associated with radiation exposure and it depends on whether the effects are stochastic or non-stochastic. Stochastic effects are those that are developed overtime to continuing exposure to radiation which can include cancer, thyroid disease and hereditary defects.

I can attest to having been diagnosed with thyroid disease and having nodules on my thyroid. I have been in the field for 18 years (including exposure during my training in school). Over the years there are times when you forget to wear your lead glasses and thyroid shield. I have no family medical history of thyroid disease and I have do think that the radiation played a role in my diagnosis. Non-stochastic effects are those of high level exposure in short amount of time, think of a nuclear power explosion, atomic bomb or isotope mishandling. These types of effects are immediate, skin erythema/necrosis, radiation sickness, sterility, fetal death and birth defects. Radiation is an amazing tool that can help to eliminate and reduce cancer, find fractures and strokes but it can also produce so much harm.

An emergent human disease is an infections that have appeared within a population or those whose incidence or geographic range is rapidly increasing or threatens to increase in the near future. Clostridium difficile is an emerging infection in healthcare commonly referred to as C-diff. C-diff was estimated to cause almost half a millions infections in the United States in 2011, and 29, 000 died within 30 days of the initial diagnosis. This bacterium is found in feces and it is easily spreadable and highly contagious. So basically in a nutshell, everyone has these bacteria in their gut, when you are on antibiotics for prolonged periods of time, they kill good bacteria that keep clostridium difficile at bay. When this happens the clositirem difficile are overproduced causing the infection. This can last anywhere from weeks to months. Hand washing and wiping down surfaces in between patient use is required. Bleach is one of the only substances that kill the bacteria c–diff on surfaces in a hospital setting. If healthcare workers and visitors do not wash their hands or wear proper protective apparel, it can spread to the next patient or the worker can spread this disease around the hospital.

The CDC and OSHA have requirements for contact precautions that must be followed to ensure prevention of spreading the disease. Majority of the reason of the spreading of this disease is fault of healthcare workers, not wearing gloves, not washing hands properly and not cleaning infected surfaces that are used by the patient. I absolutely believe myself and family is at risk for an emergent disease. Influenza is one of the main diseases that is easily spreadable. You must wash your hands to prevent diseases. I am more susceptible to being exposed because I work in a hospital setting. I do get the flu shot every year. The flu shot is mandatory for all staff hired from 2014 and on, anyone hired previously that refuse to get the flu shot must wear a face mask at all times during the flu season. They limit children visitors that are 12 and younger during flu season. Children are highly likely to spread the disease as they do not wash their hands often and play and touch things, which spreads the disease fast. The children and elderly populations have a lower immune system and it is harder for them to fight the disease. If you sneeze or cough, you must cough/sneeze into your elbow to avoid spreading airborne droplets. Wash your hands often and wipe down with disenfectants. If I did not work in the healthcare field, I wouldn't really know about many of these diseases. Not all emergent diseases are avoidable but the most important thing that we can do to help prevent the spreading of disease is good hand hygiene.