Flu Vaccine Analysis

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], (2015) notates that,
Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk for serious flu complications. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year (Seasonal Influenza: Flu Basics, para. 1).

Flu season typically begins from October to May of each year. The CDC recommends that virtually everyone except children under the age of six months and people who are allergic to eggs or the influenza vaccine itself, should receive an influenza vaccination.
However, due to several hoaxes, rumors, and myths that constantly surround the flu vaccine, many people decide not to get the vaccine.
One such rumor is that the flu vaccine can cause Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association (2015) notates that, “Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior” (What is
Alzheimer’s?, para. 1). However, the cause of Alzheimer’s disease in many people is unknown, and has lead to many misconceptions and much speculation about its’ onset. The Alzheimer’s Association (2015) states that, “Several mainstream studies link flu shots and other vaccinations to a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and overall better health” (Alzheimer’s Myth: Myth 6 Flu shots increase risks of Alzheimer’s disease, para. 6). In essence, it is up to health care providers and public health officials to continue to educate the population on the true facts about the influenza vaccine.

The illness that most interests me was syphilis. According to the CDC (2015),
Syphilis is a systemic disease caused by Treponema pallidum.
The disease has been divided into stages based on clinical findings, helping to guide treatment and follow-up. Persons who have syphilis might seek treatment for signs or symptoms of primary syphilis infection (i.e., ulcers or chancre at the infection site), secondary syphilis (i.e., manifestations that include, but are not limited to, skin rash, mucocutaneous lesions, and lymphadenopathy), or tertiary syphilis (i.e., cardiac, gummatous lesions, tabes dorsalis, and general paresis). Latent infections (i.e., those lacking clinical manifestations) are detected by serologic testing. Latent syphilis acquired within the preceding year is referred to as early latent syphilis; all other cases of latent syphilis are late latent syphilis or syphilis of unknown duration (Syphilis, para.
1).

I used the May 9, 2014 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from the CDC to find out how prevalent syphilis was in my community. The most recent information from the CDC was from two years ago. In 2013, The CDC recorded 198 syphilis cases in DeKalb County, GA ranked number 19 of all reported cases and rates of reported cases in counties and independent cities in the United States ranked by number of reported cases. According to the CDC, “During 2005–2013, the number of primary and secondary syphilis cases reported each year in the United States nearly doubled, from 8,724 to 16,663; the annual rate increased from 2.9 to 5.3 cases per 100,000 population” (Primary and Secondary Syphilis-United States, 2005-2013 para. 3). The CDC also notates that, “In 2013, for the first time in at least 50 years, the South did not have the highest overall syphilis rate among regions” (Primary and Secondary Syphilis-United States, 2005-2013 para. 7).

As health care professionals we must continue to strive to educate the community as a whole on how sexually transmitted infections are transmitted, their signs and symptoms, treatments, and most importantly how to prevent the transmission. Through education, hard work, and persistence, in time, perhaps we can eradicate many of the sexually transmitted infections most prevalent in society.