Communicable Diseases

 Poker spine – Opisthotonus with head retraction  Low forms of animals – warm blooded - dogs, cats
 Tripod position – maintain a sitting position  CA: Rhabdo virus - neurotropic – strong affinity to
o Lean backward, not forward nerves and neurons
 MOT: Contact with saliva of a rabid animal
Paralytic Stage (Flaccid) Organ transplantation - rare
 Bulbar
o Affects Cranial Nerve IX and X
o May cause respiratory paralysis Rhabdo
 Spinal
o Anterior Horn Cell Virus
o Affects the motor function of patient
o Extremities, intercostal muscle
 BulboSpinal Peripheral Efferent
o Cranial Nerve and Anterior Horn Cell nerves nerves
o CN IX and X + Motor function

* Not all patients will develop paralysis Central nervous

* As long as the patient does not develop paralysis/ has Salivary gland
system (Negri bodies
not reached paralytic stage, patient has good prognosis - pathologic lesions
that are formed as
 Dx Exam: microorganism
o Lumbar puncture - result same as Encephalitis multiplies; 10% of (-) Negri bodies
rabid animals (-)
o Throat washing – 1st 4 days of the pharynx
negri bodies)
o Stool exam – 5th day onwards

 Medical Management:
o Supportive
o Iron lung machine – mech vent used for polio  10% of rabid animals (-) negri bodies
patients  If bitten by a dog/animal, do not kill them immediately
 Principle of negative pressure breathing  Cage the animal for observation
 No problem in the lungs but with o Rabid if dies or have behavioral stages within 10
nerves/muscles days
 Life-saving measure
 Months and years  S/sx:
 Weaning o Animals - 3 to 8 weeks
 7 machines in the Philippines  Dumb Stage – complete changes in behavior
o Withdrawn – depressed
 Nursing Care: o Overly affectionate
o Supportive o Hyperactive – Manic
 Turn to sides
 Furious Stage
 Prevention: o Easily agitated
o Immunization o Easily bites
 OPV (Sabin) o Vicious or fierce look
o 5 weeks after birth o Drooling of saliva
o 3 doses with 4 weeks interval o Dies
o 2-3 gtts/orem
o Vomiting: Give again o Humans – 10 days to years
o Diarrhea: Administer but does not  Invasive Stage
count – repeat after 4 weeks – OPV 2 o Site of the bite
o Continuous stimulation to produce  Itchy
antibodies  Painful
o Be careful with disposal of feces – virus  Numbness
is excreted in the feces
o Contraindication: If with relatives who o Flu-like symptoms
are immunocompromised – IPV  Sore throat
 IPV (Salk)  Fever
o 0.5 cc/ Intramuscular  Headache
o Not sensitive to neomycin and  Body malaise
streptomycin
o Avoid mode of transmission o Marked insomnia
 Proper disposal of oropharyngeal secretions  Restless
 Covering of nose and mouth when  Irritable
coughing and sneezing  Apprehensive
 Do not put anything in the mouth o Slight photosensitivity

5. RABIES  Excitement Stage

 AKA: Hydrophobia, Lyssa, La Rage o Aerophobia

University of Santo Tomas – College of Nursing / JSV