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The initial hospital response to an epidemic.
Nicola Petrosillo1, Vincenzo Puro, Antonino Di Caro
1National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Lazzaro Spallanzani," IRCCS, Rome, Italy. petrosillo@inmi.it
Archives of Medical Research
|October 12, 2005
Summary
Hospitals need robust preparedness plans for highly contagious diseases. Early diagnosis, prompt management, and effective surveillance are crucial for controlling infectious disease outbreaks.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
- Hospital Preparedness
Background:
- Recent decades show an increase in novel infectious agents and re-emerging diseases.
- Global outbreaks and bioterrorist events highlight the need for preparedness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a model for hospital response to highly contagious infectious diseases.
- To outline essential components for early diagnosis and prompt patient management.
Main Methods:
- Review of hospital preparedness components for contagious disease outbreaks.
- Discussion of a model for initial hospital response in a referral institute.
Main Results:
- Prompt recognition and identification are critical first steps.
- Key components include case identification, laboratory capabilities, and isolation procedures.
- Nontraditional public health surveillance and rapid information dissemination are important.
Conclusions:
- Hospitals require institutional preparedness and designated referral centers.
- Coordinated hospital-wide plans are essential for managing critical situations involving highly contagious diseases.