In search of a vaccine against COVID-19: implications for nursing practice.

This article discusses the background to the current COVID-19 pandemic. The specific features of the causative pathogen (SARS-CoV-2) are outlined, together with a 'whistlestop' revision of immunological principles. The article goes on to discuss the principles and mechanisms of immunisation and the stages of vaccine development. The current situation in relation to the race to develop a vaccine against COVID-19 is incorporated and the immunological principles being adapted by the top contenders are outlined. These include new approaches based on genetic sequencing. Finally, the importance of understanding theoretical principles and the potential practical implications for nurses who will be at the coalface, reassuring patients and delivering vaccines, is addressed.

Ebola revisited: lessons in managing global epidemics.

The latest statistics for the number of new cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa point to the near containment of the virus. While the current threat will not be deemed over until 42 days after the last case to be diagnosed has twice tested negative, there is now a shift in focus from an emphasis on containment to that of policy review and capacity building in light of lessons learned. This article primarily focuses on Sierra Leone. It revisits the issues surrounding the epidemic, seeking to summarise both the negative and positive aspects of the response at local and global levels, as well as highlights fresh perspectives from healthcare workers in the field for the management of similar epidemics.

Challenges in tuberculosis management in Peru and England.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious but preventable and largely treatable disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although there is evidence that the UK incidence remains stable, rates of the disease, particularly in some London boroughs, remain high, earning it the unenviable title of the 'tuberculosis capital of Europe'. In March 2014 Public Health England published a consultation document on a collaborative strategy for tackling tuberculosis in England. This highlights a growing concern surrounding the issue. In the 1990s, Peru's tuberculosis epidemic saw the country listed among the Pan-American Health Organisation's top 23 countries of heaviest burden. Since then overall rates, although remaining significantly higher than those of the UK, have fallen dramatically. This article uses the observations of a BSc Nursing student undertaking an international elective in Peru to highlight some of the challenges faced by nurses in managing TB and draws parallels with those faced in the UK.

Ebola: where did it come from and where might it go?

Over the last few months, a plethora of headlines have focused on the ebola epidemic sweeping West Africa. On 8 August 2014 this outbreak was defined as a Public Health Event of International Concern by the World Health Organization. Closer to home the focus has been on the possibility of an outbreak in the UK, with calls for specialist nurses to be trained in monitoring travellers at airports. The recent infection of a nurse from Sussex while caring for patients with ebola in Sierra Leone has heightened the interest and need for information on this until now neglected tropical disease. Additionally, an unprecedented collaborative effort to speed up trials on the development of a vaccine has just begun in Oxford. This article discusses the origins of the virus, its symptoms and its modes of transmission. The challenges of managing the virus are discussed, together with current progress on its treatment and prevention, and the implications for nurses in the UK.

The UK pertussis epidemic: implications for immunisation.

The UK is currently experiencing an epidemic of pertussis (whooping cough), in spite of the fact that uptake of immunisation against this disease has remained consistently high for some time. The number of cases is far higher in adults and adolescents, but there has also been a huge increase in the burden of disease among infants under 3 months, in whom the outcome is potentially far more serious. Last year, 14 infants died from the disease, prompting the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to recommend vaccination for all women in the third trimester of pregnancy. This article looks at the background to the current epidemic, outlining the history of the disease; the underpinning immunological principles that have influenced attempts to control its spread to date; the current immunisation schedule; and other possible measures being considered.

Meninigitis immunisation: challenges, successes and new developments.

Meningitis, defined as the inflammation of the lining surrounding the spine and the brain, can be caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi. Bacterial meningitis is the most serious form of the disease, causing around 170000 deaths worldwide each year. Most cases of bacterial meningitis are caused by three bacteria-Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae type B. In the UK, vaccines are available to combat most of these, yet, according to the Meningitis Research Foundation, around 3400 cases of bacterial meningitis and septicaemia occur every year in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. This article reviews the history of vaccination against meningitis, explores the challenges facing nurses who are at the interface of immunisation policy and public expectations, outlines the current schedule and discusses advances in vaccine technology that offer the potential of a new immunisation against N meningitidis B, the leading cause of meningitis in the UK.