Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases: Risk Management Report

This report examines the epidemiology of a tuberculosis outbreak in Auckland, New Zealand, focusing on infection risk management. It begins by defining the disease and the microorganism responsible, Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The report then identifies the affected population, patterns of disease transmission, and characteristics of individuals contributing to the outbreak, including immigrants, those with HIV, and those in congested and low-income areas. Epidemiological data, including tables showing risk factors among immigrants, is presented to outline the outbreak's course. The report further discusses surveillance strategies used to monitor and control the disease, emphasizing the importance of early case identification and antibiotic vulnerability monitoring. Finally, it analyzes the relationship between research and health interventions, highlighting the role of education, awareness, and adherence to medication in reducing tuberculosis incidence. The report underscores the importance of testing, particularly for immigrants, and the need for comprehensive public health measures.

Epidemiology in Infection Risk Management
Author
Institution

Introduction
• Microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses,
parasites or fungi cause infectious disease and
can spread within individual and consequently
to a large population.
• In New Zealand there have been incidences of
infectious disease outbreak in various parts as
discussed.

The infectious organism responsible for the outbreak of disease
• The Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium causes the
Tuberculosis.

The infectious organism responsible for the outbreak of
disease
• The Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium causes the
Tuberculosis.

Specific population in the geographical area
in which the outbreak of the disease has
occurred
• Tuberculosis outbreak has occurred in the
population of Auckland city, New Zealand.

Patterns of disease transmission during the
outbreak
• Tuberculosis is spread through, sneezing,
coughing or sneezing (Wenger et al. 2005). The
bacteria are then carried into the air and people
nearby breathe them through their mouth and
noses.
• These droplets are produced by people with
laryngeal or pulmonary Tuberculosis. People
suffering extra pulmonary tuberculosis alone
are unable to transmit the infections to others.

• Meanwhile, people suffering latent tuberculosis are
also not infectious. Bovine tuberculosis is
transmitted from the cattle that are infected to
humans by taking unpasteurized contaminated
milk or milk products.

Characteristics of people that contributed to the
occurrence of the outbreak
• There are various factors that contribute to the
spread of tuberculosis disease. Generally, people
with the risk of developing tuberculosis are
classified into two categories.
• The people who have been recently affected by the
Tuberculosis bacteria, and those with a weakened
immune system due to medical condition
(Littleton, Park, Herring & Farmer 2008). People
with Auckland that contributed to the outbreak of
the tuberculosis disease

• People who have immigrated from other places in the world with high
incidences of tuberculosis this is given that there is the high number
of immigrants people moving to the Auckland city (DeRiemer Chin,
Schecter & Reingold 2002).
• The Auckland population has a group with high rate of Tuberculosis
transmission people with HIV infections. HIV weakens the immune
system and people suffering it has a high risk of developing
tuberculosis
• The Auckland population lives in a place that is highly congested and
this posed a risk of disease transmission (Hobbs, Moor, Wansbrough
& Calder 2002). Because of this factor one person might have resulted
to spread of disease to several people and hence the outbreak.
• Also, the majority of people living in the Auckland city have less
economic status. This is also a major risk factor that led to the
outbreak of the disease. This is because of poor health care access and
poor living conditions.

Epidemiological data outlining the course of the outbreak in the
selected area
• In Auckland city, the increasing high proportion of the tuberculosis is
derived from foreign-born people. Migration of people from the high
tuberculosis occurrences countries is the major cause of tuberculosis
in New Zealand (Das, Baker & Calder, 2006).).
• Of all those people who develop tuberculosis, a quarter of them
develop within the year of migration. The quarter of them mostly the
refugees enters the country probably with the disease.
• The rate of local tuberculosis reactivation and transmission of the
disease is steadily declining, except for the New Zealand born Pacific
and Maori people under the age of 40. The immigration of people
with Tuberculosis in New Zealand is significantly contributing factor
to the increased statics in Auckland city.
.

The table below shows the risk factor of immigrants living in Auckland city, New
Zealand.
Risk factor cases Total %
Not born in New Zealand 221 289 76.5
Current residence with person born
outside New Zealand
219 261 76.2

Country Year and Source Cases of overseas-born %
New Zealand 2005
2000
1995
76.3
55.6
47.5
Australia 2003
1994
82.7
66.4
• The table above illustrates a high number of
undiagnosed people entering New Zealand and
consequently resulting in a high number of
immigrants people with Tuberculosis in the
Auckland city.