EMT Medical Emergencies Exam Q&A 2023

Communicable Disease - Answer- A disease that can be spread from one person or species to another. Epidemic - Answer- Occurs when new cases of a disease in a human population substantially exceed the number expected based on recent experience. Herpes Simplex - Answer- A common virus that is asymptomatic in 80% of people carrying it, but characterized by small blisters on the lips or genitals in symptomatic infections. Index of Suspicion - Answer- awareness that unseen life-threatening injuries or illness may exist Infectious Disease - Answer- A medical condition caused by the growth and spread of small, harmful organisms within the body. Influenza - Answer- A virus that has crossed the animal/human barrier and infected humans and that kills thousands of people every year. Meningitis - Answer- An inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord; it is usually caused by a virus or a bacterium. Meningococcal meningitis - Answer- An inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord; can be highly contagious. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - Answer- A bacterium that can cause infections in different parts of the body and is often resistant to commonly used antibiotics; it is transmitted by different routes, including the respiratory route, and can be found on the skin, in surgical wounds, in the bloodstream, lungs, and urinary tract. Pandemic - Answer- An outbreak of a disease that occurs on a global scale. Tuberculosis - Answer- A chronic bacterial disease, caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, that usually affects the lungs but can also affect other organs such as the brain and kidneys. It is spread by cough and can lie dormant in a person's lungs for decades and then reactivate. Virulence - Answer- The strength or ability of a pathogen to produce disease. What are the signs and symptoms of meningitis? - Answer- Fever, headache, stiff neck, altered mental status Red blotches on skin What are the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis? - Answer- Flushed skin or hives (urticaria)