An obese 50 year old caucasian male with a history of Type II diabetes is assigned to you for basic patient education. In the course of conversation he describes what sounds like diabetic neuropathy and you begin to probe further for your report. You ask about his travel experience and he reveals last year he spent a month in southern India at an Ashram that practices ayurvedic healing and therapies. Upon performing a full body scan you notice some small unusual lesions on his feet. Could it be leprosy (Hansen's Disease)?
It's flu season and a parent brings in her 3rd grade child with symptoms of extreme stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. The mother is educated and affluent. She reports several of her child's schoolmates are also sick with the same symptoms. In fact, 2 other kids from the same school are in the ED now. Her child attends a prestigious private school near the local university that also serves visiting scholars (with school-aged children) from developing countries. Maybe it's norovirus. Maybe it's influenza. Or maybe it's shigellosis, a "rare" and easily communicable parasitic infection, particularly among children.
You are responsible for reporting infectious diseases to authorities. If you're not up on what those are check out the CDC Summary of Notifiable Diseases. Asking the right questions can be critical and possibly life-saving. You might also want to read the Neglected Tropical Diseases report.
The data are constantly evolving but fortunately you can stay on top of the latest by visiting the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
1. Recommended Immunization Schedule for Persons Ages 0 to 18
2. Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule
