The document discusses communicable diseases, outlining key definitions, the transmission and epidemiological triad, and the chain of infection. It describes the fundamental principles of communicable disease control, including rapid assessment, prevention, surveillance, outbreak control and disease management. The roles of medical officers and others in detecting, investigating and controlling outbreaks are also summarized.

2. Objectives
Introduction
Key definitions
Transmission
Epidemiological triad
Chain of infection
Factors & mx
Fundamental principles of CD control
Steps in CD outbreak mx
Medical officers role
References

3. Introduction
• Communicable disease- Disease transmission from 1 person to
another caused by infectious agent via a source/ reservoir to a
susceptible host.
• Major causes of morbidity & mortality. Emergencies e.g. Diarrheal
diseases, acute respiratory infections, measles & endemic areas
e.g. Malaria in Vanuatu & Solomon Islands.
• Other epidemics among populations affected by emergencies are
meningococcal, TB & Typhoid.
• Deaths; malnutrition & trauma.

4. Key definitions:
• Outbreak-Increase new cases of diseases in a community in a given time
period.
• Epidemic-Increase group of illnesesses of similar nature in a community.
• Endemic: Presence of a disease/agent within a geographical area
.
• Pandemic: An epidemic which is worldwide in distribution.
• Host: Habitual place to an infectious agent.
• Carrier: Person/animal that habours a specific infectious agent & is a
symptomatic.
• Reservoir: Anything (living/non) whereby an infections agent resides in &
multiplies.

5. Transmission:
• Refers to any mechanism by which an infectious agent is spread
from a source/reservoir or to a person.
• Mode of transmission:
1.Direct- direct contact, vertical transmission,droplet infection,
animal bite transmission.
1.Indirect- Airborne, vehicle borne, vector borne, formite borne &
hand borne.

8. 6 factors furthering process:
1)Agent-bacteria, viruses,parasites etc.
2)Reservoir-Identification;px presents w/ signs & sx’s. Physical
examination & diagnostic test are done and also complications are
being identified.
Carriers- healthy, incubatory& convalescence.
1)Portal of exit-respiratory carrier, GIT carrier, GUT carrier
2)Mode of transmission-Direct/indirect
3)Portal of entry- mouth,skin cut
4)Susceptible host- anyone

9. What to do?
Reservoir Carrier Animal
Identification Type Identification
Treatment Active detection-household surveillance
for early detection of diseases.
Treatment
Isolation Quarantine Isolation
Health education Extermination Extermination
Aim: To break the chain of infection

11. Fundamental principles of control of
communicable diseases
1.Rapid assessment
2.Prevention
3.Surveillance
4.Outbreak control
5.Disease management

12. 1. Rapid assessment:
Westernization conditions contributing to spread of infectious diseases.
Poor nutrition
Immigrants- traveling in and out of the country unaware of incubated infectious
agents within themselves. (E.g. Chikungunya from PNG)
Location- Hub of trade (Fiji) in South Pacific increases the populations vulnerability &
risk to new emerging communicable diseases.
Climate change- occurrence of natural disasters e.g. Cyclones, flooding etc
Deforestation
Human behaviors such as IV drug use & risky sexual behaviors
Excessive use of anti microbial agents & pesticides

13. 2. Prevention
Primary Secondary Tertiary
 Increase the resistance of
the host.
 Inactivate etiological agents
 Break the chain of infection
 Limiting spread of infection:
 Isolation
 Quarantine
 Segregation
 Personal surveillance
 Early detection to activities
targeted to:
 Begin treatment
 Stop progression
 Protect others in the community
 E.g. Activities such as case
finding (identification), health
screening, health education.
 Limits the progression of
disability.
 Focuses on rehabilitation
which varies in specific
disease.

14. 3. Surveillance
• Surveillance: Ongoing systematic collection, analysis &
interpretation of data in order to plan, implement and evaluate
public health intervention.

15. Outbreak control
Outbreak: Increase new cases of diseases in a community in a
given period of time.
 In emergency situations it can rapidly spread cause an increase in
morbidity & mortality rates.
 Aim: To detect & control as early as possible.

16. Steps in communicable disease
outbreak mx:
• Preparation- Health coordinated meetings, strong surveillance, outbreak
response plan per disease, requirements in stock (e.g. IV fluids,
antibiotics & vaccines), isolation ward plans e.g. TB & laboratory
support.
• Detection- Surveillance system for early warning of epidemic prone
diseases, inform ministry of health & WHO in cases of specific disease
outbreak, specimen collection for lab confirmation.
• Response- confirm, activate, investigate & control the outbreak
• Evaluation- Assessing the effectiveness of containment measures and
response to the outbreak and also health prevention.

17. Medical officer’s role:
Zone nurses: outreach/awareness in communities to record
individuals whom are at risk, location of reservoirs & source of
infection and also the environmental factors which promote the
spread of disease.
Role of Dr’s:
• Controlling the reservoir- identification, early dx, isolation &
quarantine.
• Interruption of transmission- “break the chain of infection”
• Susceptible host
• Non specific measures- proper sanitation, better housing, nutrition,
education and legislative measures.

18. References:
 http://www.acphd.org/communicable-disease.aspx
 https://www.afro.who.int/health-topics/communicable-diseases
 http://www.health.gov.fj/?p=3414
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470303/

19. “The greatest wealth is health”