4. INVESTIGACIÓN
4.3. FASE EXPLORATORIA
4.3.1. ENTREVISTA A PRESIDENTE DE PROQUILARV S.A
Check the mmunsaton records for every chld who has contact wth the chld wth whoopng cough. look for evdence of vaccnaton wth the DtP vaccne at 2, 4 and 6 months of age, and at 4 years of age. the ‘P’ n the vaccne s for pertusss whch s whoopng cough. Chldren who have receved CDt (dphthera and tetanus for chldren) at any of these tmes have not been vaccnated aganst whoopng cough. any chld or adult who lves n the same house as the case and also attends the centre and has receved less than three doses of pertusss vaccne s to be excluded from the centre untl they have had 5 days of an approprate course of antbotcs. if antbotcs have not been taken, these contacts must be excluded for 14 days after ther last exposure to a case of whoopng cough at home.
treatment
antbotcs may be gven n the early stages to shorten the perod of contagousness of a chld wth whoopng cough. However, these do not lessen the severty or duraton of the llness.
55
gaStrointeStinal
ComPlaintS
Campylobacter
deSCriPtion
C
ampylobacter nfecton s a type of gastroenterts caused by a bactera known as Campylobacter. Symptoms may nclude darrhoea (sometmes bloody), a low-grade fever, abdomnal crampng and nausea and vomtng.Campylobacter bactera are found n the faeces of many anmals, ncludng farm anmals and household pets. People are nfected when bactera are taken n by mouth and ths can happen by:
• Eatng undercooked meat, especally chcken;
• Drnkng unpasteursed mlk or contamnated drnkng water; • Eatng cooked food whch has
been cross-contamnated wth campylobacter bactera from raw food; or
• Handlng nfected anmals and not washng hands afterwards.
infecton can also be spread from person to person when:
• People wth campylobacter bactera n the faeces do not wash and dry ther hands effectvely after gong to the tolet. Contamnated hands can then contamnate food whch may be eaten by others; or • Hands become nfected when
changng the nappy of an nfected nfant. People and anmals can carry and spread the nfecton even f they don’t have symptoms.
inCubation Period
Usually 2 - 5 days after comng n contact wth the bactera, but may range from 1–10 days.
infeCtiouS Period
For as long as the bactera are n the person’s faeces. ths may be for a few days or weeks after symptoms are gone.
exCluSion Period
Exclude untl darrhoea has stopped for at least 24 hours.
reSPonSibilitieS of CHild Care
ProviderS/Staff
report the nfecton to the drector. Contact your publc health unt f two or more chldren n one group are ll. Publc health workers may be able to help dentfy how the nfectous agent has spread through the centre and prevent further nfecton.
reSPonSibilitieS of ParentS
observe the excluson perod.Controlling tHe SPread of
infeCtion
Exclude a person wth nfectous darrhoea from the centre untl darrhoea has stopped for at least 24 hours.
Make sure that effectve hand washng and cleanng procedures are beng followed n the centre and at home.
Ensure sandpts are raked regularly and remove any anmal faeces. Cover the sand pt when t s not n use.64
treatment
antbotcs are usually prescrbed only when a chld s not recoverng from the llness. recovery usually occurs wthn a few days of the onset of symptoms. Parents should consult ther doctor about treatment. Make sure the chld has plenty to drnk, see ‘Safe drnks’ on page 59.
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Cryptosporidiosis
deSCriPtion
C
ryptospordoss s a type ofgastroenterts caused by the paraste
Cryptosporidium. the paraste nfects the
ntestne. often, the nfected person has no symptoms at all. the organsm s usually
identified by laboratory examination of
a faecal specmen.
Symptoms nclude vomtng, loss of appette, stomach pan and foul-smellng darrhoea. the faeces are often watery n appearance or may contan mucus.
in healthy young chldren the llness s self- lmtng and lasts only a few days.65 in people wth normal mmune systems the symptoms
often fluctuate but recovery is expected in
less than 30 days.
Cryptosporidium parastes lve n the bowels
of humans and n wld, pet and farm anmals. People wth cryptospordoss have the paraste n ther faeces. the nfecton spreads when:
• infected people do not wash and dry ther hands effectvely after gong to the tolet. Contamnated hands can then spread the parastes to food that may be eaten by others and surfaces that may be touched by others; • Hands become contamnated
whle handlng nfected anmals or changng the nappy of an nfected nfant; or
• People who drnk contamnated water, unpasteursed mlk or swallow contamnated swmmng pool water.
inCubation Period
Uncertan, probably an average of 7 days, wth a range of 1-12 days.66
infeCtiouS Period
For as long as the organsm s n the person’s faeces, whether or not the person has symptoms (usually 2–4 weeks).
exCluSion Period
Exclude untl darrhoea has stopped for at least 24 hours.
reSPonSibilitieS of CHild Care
ProviderS/Staff
report the nfecton to the drector. Contact your publc health unt f two or more chldren n one group are ll. Publc health workers may be able to help dentfy how the nfectous agent has spread through the centre and prevent further nfecton.
reSPonSibilitieS of ParentS
observe the excluson perod.Controlling tHe SPread of
infeCtion
Exclude a person wth nfectous darrhoea from the centre untl darrhoea has stopped for at least 24 hours.
Make sure that effectve hand washng and cleanng procedures are beng followed n the centre and at home.
as people wth Cryptosporidium nfecton can contnue sheddng ‘egg’ cells even after symptoms have settled, people should not go swmmng whle they have darrhoea and for 2 weeks after darrhoea stops.67
treatment
no treatment s avalable but all chldren wth darrhoea should see a doctor.
Make sure that the chld has plenty to drnk, see ‘Safe drnks’ on page 59.