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Tip of the week: Recognizing viruses in long-term care facilities

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly, July 8, 2010

Illnesses are common in healthcare settings. Long-term care facilities are no different. The following list offers details about viruses that may be found in SNFs:

• Hepatitis A: This form of hepatitis is frequently transferred by food. However, it can also be spread by an infected person passing on body fluids that are infected with this agent or through improper hand washing techniques and passing on fecal contaminants.
• Hepatitis B: A very serious form of hepatitis that is often spread by an infected person through his or her body fluids. Healthcare workers should be immunized for hepatitis B so that they have a level of antibody protection.
• Hepatitis C: Possibly the most insidious form of hepatitis, hepatitis C ravages the liver and is the number one reason for deaths attributed to liver disease. Currently, there is no immunization to protect against this virus.
• Norovirus: In recent years, this virus has become prevalent throughout the United States. In addition, it has been making its way into many long-term care environments. It is highly contagious; therefore, hand washing is extremely important to help control the spread of this virus. Norovirus symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, and headaches. Dehydration is often a major secondary factor that has to be closely monitored for those who acquire this viral agent.
• Varicella virus: The same virus responsible for chickenpox can also lead to shingles or herpes zoster. The virus often remains dormant along major nerve areas and then erupts with painful, fluid-filled blisters. Those who are not immune to chickenpox can get shingles.

This is an excerpt from the HCPro book, The Long-Term Care Administrator’s Field Guide, by Brian Garavaglia, PhD.

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