Facing highly infectious diseases: new trends and current concepts

Abstract

A highly infectious disease (HID) that is transmissible from person to person causes life-threatening illness and presents a serious hazard in the healthcare setting and in the community that requires specific control measures. Due to environmental factors, changes in lifestyle and many other unknown factors, the emergence of such HIDs is becoming more and more likely. As has already been demonstrated during the SARS outbreak, healthcare facilities are likely to be the origin of future HID outbreaks. Preparedness planning will be essential in helping facilities manage future outbreaks of emerging or resurgent infectious diseases. Guidelines have been developed by national and international institutions. To avoid contamination of healthcare workers, the care of HID patients should follow the same infection control rules that are applied to laboratory workers exposed to similar agents. Here, the current knowledge concerning the clinical care of patients with HIDs is reviewed, and specific aspects of the management of such diseases are introduced.

Figure 1

Example of an airborne isolation room with protective environment (anteroom positive pressure to corridor) as described in reference [35].

Figure 2

Example of a revertible highly infectious disease isolation unit. Blueprint of the Bio Safety Level 3 ward of the infectious disease service of Marseille, France showing the unit when working at bio security level 3. Patients occupying the unit are transferred to the main building. Doors A and B are securely closed. The complete unit is under negative pressure (as indicated) with 25 vol./h air change. Beds in rooms 1 and 2 are removed and rooms 1 and 2 are equipped as dressing/undressing and working anteroom, respectively. Rooms 7 and 8 are equipped for intensive care. The dedicated elevator (E) is used for highly infectious disease patient entrance and exit. All effluents are turned to chlorine disinfection. A negative pressure serving hatch (P) is used to enter healthcare material. Blue Print From AP‐HM.