Waterborne |
Cholera | Fecal/oral, contaminated water or food | Hand washing, proper handling of water/food and sewage disposal | Profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting | 2 hr to 5 days |
Leptospirosis | Fecal/oral, contaminated water | Avoid entering contaminated water; safe water source | Sudden-onset fever, headache, chills, vomiting, severe myalgia | 2-28 days |
Hepatitis | Fecal/oral, contaminated water or food | Hand washing, proper handling of water/food and sewage disposal; hepatitis A vaccine | Jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite | 15-50 days |
Bacillary dysentery | Fecal/oral, contaminated water or food | Hand washing, proper handling of water/food and sewage disposal | Malaise, fever, vomiting, blood and mucous in stool | 12-96 hr |
Typhoid fever | Fecal/oral, contaminated water or food | Hand washing, proper handling of water/food and sewage disposal; mass vaccination in some settings | Sustained fever, headache, constipation | 3-14 days |
Acute respiratory |
Pneumonia | Person-to-person by airborne respiratory droplets | Isolation; proper nutrition. If cause is Streptococcus, give polyvalent vaccine to high-risk populations | Cough, dyspnea, tachypnea, retractions | 1-3 days |
Direct contact |
Measles | Person-to-person by airborne respiratory droplets | Rapid mass vaccination within 72 hr of initial case report (priority to high-risk groups if limited supply); vitamin A in children 6 months to 5 years old (prevents complications, reduces mortality) | Rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, red/watery eyes. Serious post-measles complications (5%-10% of cases) are diarrhea, croup, pneumonia | 10-12 days |
Bacterial Meningitis (meningococcal meningitis) | Person-to-person by airborne respiratory droplets | Rapid mass vaccination | Sudden-onset fever, rash, nuchal rigidity; altered consciousness; bulging fontanel if <1 year old | 2-10 days |
Wound-related |
Tetanus | Soil | Thorough wound cleaning, tetanus vaccine | Difficulty swallowing, trismus, muscle rigidity and spasms | 3-21 days |
Vector-borne |
Malaria | Mosquito (Anopheles spp) | Mosquito control; insecticide-treated nets, bedding, and clothing | Fever, chills, sweats, head and body aches, nausea and vomiting | 7-30 days |
Dengue fever | Mosquito (Aedes aegypti) | Mosquito control, isolation of cases, mass vaccination | Sudden-onset severe flu-like illness, high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, and rash | 4-7 days |
Japanese encephalitis | Mosquito (Culex spp) | Mosquito control, isolation of cases, mass vaccination | Quick onset, headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, tremors | 5-15 days |
Yellow fever | Mosquito (Aedes spp, Haemagogus spp) | Mosquito control, isolation of cases, mass vaccination | Fever, backache, headache, nausea, vomiting. Toxic phase: jaundice, abdominal pain, kidney failure | 3-6 days |