Meningitis and coronavirus are contagious infections which are able to spread through outbreaks and infect millions of people easily. They result in very dangerous consequences including death. Due to the severe danger of meningitis and coronavirus, this paper is going to explain the definitions, pathophysiology, causing microorganisms, transmission, and the necessary precautions that can be implemented to prevent these fatal infections
Firstly, the paper will focus on the definition of both infections. Meningitis is an infection that results from many sources including bacteria, protozoa, viruses, drugs or cancer. This infection leads to inflammation in the meninges, which are three membranes enclosing both the brain and the spinal cord. The treatment of this infection is related to the cause of its development. (1) Coronavirus is a fatal infectious disease caused by any virus of coronaviridae family. This virus can infect both people and animals. There are several causing agents that include SARS, MERS and COVID-19 which has recently appeared in several outbreaks in different countries of the world including China, Iran, Italy, Spain and the US leading to thousands of casualties. The infection leads to respiratory illness that may end with death. (2)
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Secondly, the paper will explain the pathophysiology of these infections. Bacterial meningitis develops when bacteria get into the cerebrospinal fluid and grow there until an inflammation develops in both the cerebrospinal fluid and the close tissues of the brain. There happen several neurological consequences including death that result from several factors such as the leukocyte resulting from responding to the systemic inflammatory, and stimulating the immune cells. (3) Coronavirus, especially COVID-19, is mainly a respiratory infection because the respiratory system is the main target of the virus when the virus enters the body. Therefore, when the virus reaches the lungs and replicates there, it results in serious developments including severe pneumonia and severe cardiac injury that require the infected people to be administered to the intensive care units. (4)
Thirdly, the paper will investigate the causing microorganisms of these infections. The causing microorganisms of meningitis may be bacteria or viruses. Bacterial meningitis rarely occurs due to several types of bacteria including meningococcal bacteria, pneumococcal bacteria, and Haemophilus influenzae type b ( Hib) bacteria. The viral meningitis is the most common and results from various types of viruses such as the enteroviruses, the mumps virus, and the herpes simplex virus. (5 ) Coronavirus results from a single-stranded RNA virus which has many causative agents including SARS, MERS and COVID-19. The particles of coronavirus are enclosed by a lipid outer layer known as an envelope. The virus seems spherical in shape with a crown of spikes on its surface. The novel virus COVID-19 is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2 that has appeared lately in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The RNA genomes of these viruses are able to replicate through enzymes. There have not been any available vaccines that can stop this fatal from destroying the human respiratory system yet. (6)
Fourthly, the paper is going to discuss the different methods of transmission of these infections. The transmission of meningitis can spread in many ways. The meningitis that is caused by bacteria can easily infect people because there are several types of bacteria that live in the human body and the environment around us. In general, bacteria can be harmless. However, when they reach the bloodstream, they are able to get to the spinal cord and the brain to infect them. These bacteria spread through close contact in some situations when an infected person coughs or sneezes. There are some secretions such as saliva that carry these bacteria. (7) On the other hand, the viral meningitis spreads through contacting people who carry the causing viruses in the nose or throat. The recurrence of this infection is possible. (5) Coronavirus, particularly COVID-19, is suspected to have zoonotic origin due to its first appearance in a market of animals in Wuhan City in China. Research has suggested that two snake species are responsible for the spread of this novel virus, but mammals and birds are thought of as the main reservoirs of this virus. Recent research has shown that transmission among people easily spreads through direct contact. An infected person transmits the infection through coughing or sneezing. Reports do not show any evidence of the possibility of transmission from a mother to the fetus, but it is not clear if the infection can transmit through vaginal birth. (4)
Finally, the paper is going to focus on the necessary precautions that are implemented in hospitals to prevent these fatal infections. There are many standard precautions applied to prevent any infections resulting from blood, secretions, body fluids and mucous membranes. Performing hand hygiene is very necessary when contacting blood and body fluids. Hand washing should be conducted by using a non- antimicrobial product and an antimicrobial agent. Healthcare providers should wear clean gloves while contacting blood and body fluids. Preventing infections of the respiratory system, the skin or eyes requires wearing a mask. Healthcare providers should also wear water-resistant gowns to prevent any microbes or germs from attaching to the clothes. The team of healthcare providers has to use clean tools and equipment, and then put the disposable items in the correct container soon after use. Preventing the transmission of airborne infections requires several other precautions in addition to the standard precautions. The hospital must have isolation rooms in order not to pass the infection from the client to other places in the hospital. The respirator masks of N95 are very necessary for healthcare team to protect them from any airborne infection. The movement of the client must be limited outside the isolation room to prevent the spread of infections. As for contacting the clients, this procedure requires many precautions that include the presence of an isolation room for the client or sitting similar patients and conditions in the same ward. Healthcare providers have to wear gloves before contacting the patients and remove them before leaving the room in order to prevent themselves from catching infections. After that, they must perform hand hygiene after removing the gloves. Moreover, contacting surfaces that may be infected requires the healthcare team to wear protecting gowns to prevent any infections from attaching to their clothes. It is also very necessary to take off the gown before they leave the isolation room. They must limit the movement of patients outside the isolation room to prevent the spread of any disease. The use of clean equipment must only with one client to prevent any probable infections. (8)
In conclusion, meningitis and coronavirus are very thorny and dangerous infections that are able to easily spread through various viruses and bacteria when people contact an infected person. They affect body organs in a serious way that may result in death. These infections can be prevented if the essential precautions are applied in hospitals and at home. Therefore, people should be aware of the serious outcomes of these infections in order to learn how to prevent them in the appropriate methods.
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