Epidemiology eassy on Yellow Fever Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Epidemiology eassy on Yellow Fever - Essay Example The family Flaviviridae contains only one genus, Flavivirus. They are somewhat smaller than alphaviruses, being 40 nm in diameter. The name flavivirus refers to the type species, the yellow fever virus ( Flavus, L = Yellow). The yellow fever virus was first isolated in 1927 by inoculating rhesus monkeys with the blood of an African patient named Asibi. The virus was shown by Theiler (1930) to grow well following intracerebral innoculation in mice. The infected mouse brain was used as a vaccine in former French West Africa (Dakar vaccine) though this was encephalitogenic. It was later replaced by a non-neurotropic (17D) vaccine (Panicker 2007, p.527-30). Cases are classified as inapparent ( 1 week; the period of convalescence is usually short except in the more severe cases. There are no known sequele. (Beers 1999, p.1303-4). Statistics In a report by Weir and Shariqe (2004, 1909), each year about 2, 00,000 become ill with yellow fever around the world though the true incidence is likely to be much higher. This was according to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1998. About 90% of the cases occur in Africa and 10% in South America. Epidemiology of yellow fever Approximately 2, 00,000 cases of yellow fever occur annually; 90% of them occur in Africa. A dramatic resurgence of yellow fever has occurred since the 1980s in both sub-Saharan Africa and South America. A series of epidemics and smaller outbreaks of yellow fever that occurred in West African countries were primarily responsible for the increased incidence of yellow fever in Africa, but the first epidemic reported in Kenya in>2 decades signaled that a change in the distribution of the disease was also occurring. Transmission in Africa is maintained by a high density of vector mosquito population that is in close proximity to largely unvaccinated human populations. Although some countries have incorporated programs, vaccine coverage is not optimal. In South America, the rate of transmission of yellow fever is lower than in Africa, in part because high vaccine coverage occurs primarily as part of mass immunization campaign in response to outbreaks of the disease. The largest outbreak of yellow fever in South America since the 1950s occurred in Peru in 1995, and cases were reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia,

Exploring current government policy on improving the nations health Essay

Exploring current government policy on improving the nations health through the change for life campaign - Essay Example There are six healthy behaviors that people are encouraged to adopt through this particular public health crusade. The first one is the 5 A day call, which gives suggestions on how to eat the recommended five portions of healthy vegetables and fruits every day (Change4Life, 2015). The second component is advice on reducing the amount of salt intake per day. The campaign also encourages sugar swaps by giving vital information on the sugar content of various foods as well as the available alternatives. The other aspects are cutting down on alcohol consumption, cutting back on fats and leading an active life. The message is spread through different avenues with the TV and online advertising being the major channels (Change4Life TV commercials, 2009). The integrated approach adapted in the campaign also allows for the use of radios, social media and the direct marketing channels. Dealing with obesity requires behavior change in terms of the kind of food one takes and the lifestyle that an individual leads (Department of Health, 2004). Britt, Hudson & Blampied (2004) point out that behavior is a product of both individual and collective action and plays a central role in the health of the public. This is the reason why lifestyle risks have for a long time been considered to be the leading cause of morbidity and deaths in various nations (Sweney, 2008). In order to deal with obesity, which is a lifestyle health condition, the policy was created based on the transtheoretical model. Kemm (2015) states that this model takes change of behavior to be an ongoing cycle rather than the final state. During the process of change, individuals may relapse in the initial stages though this does not mean that they have to start all over again. The model, therefore, describes the individuals in terms of the progress they make in series of behavior states and in relation to o ther dimensions (Michie & Johnston, 2012). Its use in the drive has been effective in