Preventive medicine

Preventive medicine through vaccination continues to be the most cost-effective pubHc health practice, even with the drastic advance in modern medicine. Mass vaccination programs have eradicated smallpox from the earth. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a major campaign underway to eradicate poHo by the year 2000. The development of vaccines has saved millions of Hves and prevented many more from suffering. However, there are stiU many diseases without effective vaccines, such as malaria. With the recent emergence of antibiotic-resistance strains and exotic vimses, an effective vaccine development program becomes a top priority of pubHc health poHcy. 

Hood L, Heath JR, Phelps ME, Lin B. Systems biology and new technologies enable predictive and preventative medicine. Science 2004 306 640-3. 

Biochemical Research Has Impact on Nutrition Preventive Medicine... 

One major prerequisite for the maintenance of health is that there be optimal dietary intake of a number of chemicals the chief of these are vitamins, certain amino acids, certain fatty acids, various minerals, and water. Because much of the subject matter of both biochemistry and nutrition is concerned with the smdy of various aspects of these chemicals, there is a close relationship between these two sciences. Moreover, more emphasis is being placed on systematic attempts to maintain health and forestall disease, ie, on preventive medicine. Thus, nutritional approaches to—for example—the prevention of atherosclerosis and cancer are receiving increased emphasis. Understanding nutrition depends to a great extent on a knowledge of biochemistry. 

Natelson, S. Crawford, W. L. and Munsey, F. A. Correlation of Clinical and Chemical Observations in the Immature Infant. 111. Dept, of Public Health Pub. Div. of Preventive Medicine (1952). 

Kouji Matsushima Department of Molecular Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-city,... 

Adam Webb, Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom Hiroyuki Yoneyama Laboratory of Stem Cell Dynamism, Stelic Institute of Regenerative Medicine, 1-9-15 Higashi-Azabu, Minato-city, Tokyo 106-0044 and Department of Molecular Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-city, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan... 

Preventive Medicine Division, Office of The Surgeon General, Department of the Army, Washington, D. C. 

Decision as to possible health hazards in mass production preliminary information on type of hazard which might exist in mass manufacture Safety of equipment necessity for ventilation, safe atmospheric concentration selection of suitable physical protective devices for workers (respirators, protective clothing, showers) procedure for medical treatment in emergency if this requires special equipment Decision as to health services needed at plant plan of preventive medicine (including selection of workers according to expected degree of exposure and methods of periodic check on health)... 

Harry Wain. A History of Preventive Medicine. Springfield IL Charles C Thomas, 1970. Source of Napoleon and typhus, and typhus description. 

Donham KJ, Berry C, Burmeister L, et al. 1982a. Respiratory disease hazards of swine confinement workers. Report to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Cincinnati, OH, by the University of Iowa, Department of Preventative Medicine and Environmental Health. PB84-241512. 

Industrial Chemical Prioritization and Determination of Critical Hazards of Concern. Technical Annex and Supporting Documents for International Task Force (IIF)40, Industrial Chemical Hazards Medical and Operational Concerns. UASCHPPM Report 47-EM-6154-03. US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 2003. 

Dr. Marty Kanarek, Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. 

Post SG (1999). Future scenarios for the prevention and delay of Alzheimer Disease onset in high-risk groups An ethical perspective. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 16, 105-110. 

Among the multiple mechanisms that microorganisms have invented to acquire iron, some may lend themselves to preventive medicine by vaccination. Two such microbial strategies, manipulated to the benefit of the host, are briefly discussed here. 

Williams, K.E. Detailed Facts About Nerve Agent GA. Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, 1996. 

States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, 1996. 

Diphtheria causes a demyelinative neuropathy. Coryne-bacterium diphtheriae colonizes the pharynx or open wounds, and secretes a protein exotoxin. The B subunit of this exotoxin binds to plasma membranes and facilitates entry into cytosol of the A subunit, which catalyzes ADP-ribosylation, and inactivation of an elongation factor required for protein synthesis. Cardiac muscle and Schwann cells are particularly susceptible to this toxin, and hence patients with diphtheria develop cardiomyopathy and demyelinative polyneuropathy [20]. While diphtheria is now uncommon because of childhood immunization against C. diphtheriae, the disruption in preventative medicine programs caused by disintegration of the Soviet Union was followed by a substantial incidence of diphtheritic polyneuropathy in Russia. 

Assessment for influenza and pneumococcal vaccine administration and assessment and management of other cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., smoking and antiplatelet therapy) are components of sound preventive medicine strategies. 

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