Gundersen Libraries News: VisualDx Minute: Learn to Spot Measles & Take the Diagnosis Challenge!

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

VisualDx Minute: Learn to Spot Measles & Take the Diagnosis Challenge!

AN 8-YEAR-OLD GIRL visited her pediatrician with visible bilateral parotid edema, fever, and myalgia in her neck. While taking her history, the doctor asked her and her caregiver who she had been in contact with during the past two weeks.

Can you diagnose the patient? Use the VisualDx differential builder to help you. Hint: Start with "Child Growth or Lesion – Single Growth or Lesion" clinical scenario, then add a body location.

Look for the answer on our Facebook page on Tuesday, April 7.

MEDIA COVERAGE ABOUT the recent outbreak of measles in the United States has brought public health topics like immunizations and herd immunity to national attention. This attention is well deserved, because childhood immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions. Basic immunizations are estimated to prevent more than 2.5 million annual deaths globally, primarily due to prevention of measles, pertussis, and tetanus.

A correlation between high socioeconomic status and low immunization rates has also surfaced as a topic of conversation. The vaccination rate of 78% in wealthy Beverly Hills falls well below “herd immunity” – the minimum level, usually 90%-95%, at which an entire population may be considered immune from a disease even if a few individuals are not themselves immunized. In contrast, in the inner-city Los Angeles neighborhood of Compton, elementary schools have a far higher immunization rate of 94%, which is close to the national median vaccination rate of 95%.

Infections like measles and pertussis are highly contagious. Low vaccination rates create the conditions for infectious disease outbreaks.

To view 30+ images showing variations of measles and read clinical information, go to VisualDx: http://info.visualdx.com/e/11412/duleId-10-ampdiagnosisId-52288/2wmv5x/554784677

References:
California Department of Public Health. Immunization levels in child care and schools. http://info.visualdx.com/e/11412/-pages-immunizationlevels-aspx/2wmv5z/554784677. Accessed March 12, 2015.

Did you miss our recent Clinical Education Series webinar on measles? Watch it online!

Follow us on Facebook for announcements about our next event - coming up in April.

Make the most of the powerful VisualDx search features. Learn the difference between the three types of VisualDx searches - diagnosis, medication, and patient finding - and when to use them. See a demonstration of how key search terms and phrases pull up an accurate differential.

APRIL 8 at 12:00pm (Noon)