In my perusal of the daily internet news, I come across a headline of "superbug" that both captivates and horrifies me. I should be doing chores, studying, or a multitude of other things on my day off from work, but this necessitates more investigation. The deeper I delve into this topic, the more I worry about the immediate future of healthcare and my own community.
NursesAnnouncementsArchiveArticle
While I should be studying for my upcoming CEN test date, with coffee in hand, I decide to wander the "science" headlines, as I am apt to do on a warm and sunny Sunday morning. I pay attention to these headlines, as being on the front line in an emergency room; these concerns can become a reality and we need to be prepared for when they make an appearance on our doorstep.
This type of headline, "Superbug," has me perusing in that vein into other outbreaks of the same nature. We have all read of Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships, nursing homes, daycare facilities, and restaurants. I suppose we can all avoid salad bars and oysters, but is that realistic? How long would we have to modify our diets and lives?
I come across an eye catching headline of "superbug" on ABC news. It appears more as "SUPERBUG" to my paranoid eye. The Centers for Disease Control is concerned about a new strain of Norovirus, originally found in Australia in 2011, that will strike the United States. Noroviruses are the leading cause of epidemic gastroenteritis, including foodborne outbreaks, in the United States. Most infections were reported by long term care facilities and restaurants. 20% of these infections are foodborne where 28% are unknown transmission routes. Exactly what are these "unknown" transmissions leads my brain down a rabbit hole that I do not have the energy (or stomach) to investigate (Barclay).
This new superbug is a type of Norovirus. Norovirus is a genus of genetically diverse single-stranded RNA, non-enveloped viruses in the Caliciviridae family. Normally with 21 million people affected annually from Norovirus, 800 people die. That is not a troublesome fatality rate compared to trauma or car accidents. What catches my eye about this strain of this virus is the virulence. Due to the lack of immunity to this strain, it is expected that 50% more Americans are going to be affected by this strain. The Norovirus is far more contagious than Influenza. Influenza is airborne via cough and sneezing and has 1000 different particles that can attach to a person. This Norovirus only has 18 particles that can make a person sick. That is scary and amazing (Besser).
That should strike some degree of fear in all the hearts of all medical personnel. We all use "gel in, gel out" hand sanitizers at work, but reading about this new virus, it will not be eliminated by this gel; this brings about a whole new approach to cleanliness and hand washing not just in the workplace, but in our community. The flu virus lives on surfaces for a few hours outside of the body, but this new Norovirus can survive and remain infectious for weeks! My stomach just dropped. Not only do we have to be concerned for the patient influx with this new virus, we have to worry about each other and protecting ourselves from becoming statistics. Bleaching of surfaces, as well as soap and water hand washing remains to be the treatment of choice for this type of virus, but I have to wonder about the potential for pandemic. How will your local Wal-Mart and supermarket sanitize their carts?
There is a vaccine in the finishing stages by Japanese company Takeda Pharmaceuticals, to combat the Norovirus that would provide lifelong protection for 95% of recipients (Bloomberg). That sounds pretty fantastic. Until that time comes, what are your thoughts? How will your facility handle an outbreak?
Where I work we have only 4 isolation rooms. One of the methods to control the outbreak is to isolate ill persons. That would be a near impossibility in my facility. How else could this be controlled?
