Common Infectious Diseases: Symptoms, Causes & Prevention

Infectious Diseases: Causes, Symptoms & Prevention

Common Infectious Conditions

• CP (Common cold): virus - headache, loss of appetite. Keep hydrated.
• Influenza: virus - high fever, pains in back and muscles. Rest.
• Measles: virus - vomiting, diarrhea, sweating. MMR vaccine.
• Tuberculosis: bacteria - weight loss, fever. Antibiotics.
• Bubonic plague: Yersinia pestis (bacterium) - muscle cramps, chills.
• Cholera: bacterial infection - leg cramps, vomiting, diarrhea. Antibiotics.
• Tetanus: bacteria - stiffness. Vaccination or antitoxin.
• Malaria: protozoa - fever, muscle pain, diarrhoea. Medicines.
• Sleeping sickness: protozoa - fever, itchiness. Different medications.
• Athlete's foot: fungus - infection of the skin. Pharmacy creams.
• Ringworm: fungus - a red rash on the skin. Creams.
• CJD: prion infection - loss of coordination. Seek medical help.
• BSE: prion disease (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy).
• Head lice: passed by contact with an infected person - itchiness. Pharmacy products.
• Chlamydia: bacteria - yellowish vaginal discharge, urinary tract infection.

Health, Disease and Agents

• Health: the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.
• Disease: a disorder or malfunction of the mind or body, which leads to a departure from good health.
• Virus: an extremely small organism that causes disease and spreads from one person to another.
• Bacteria: microscopic living organisms, usually one-celled, that can be found everywhere. They can cause infections.
• Prion: a microscopic protein particle similar to a virus but lacking nucleic acid.
• Fungi: any member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms.
• Protozoa: a diverse group of unicellular eukaryotic organisms.

Vaccines, Immunity and Defenses

Vaccine: introduces a small, safe amount of a disease agent to enable your body to produce antibodies for future protection.

Immunity: the body's ability to resist infection.

Natural Defenses

The body's immune system and lines of defense:

1. Saliva, skin, stomach
2. White blood cells (phagocytes - bacterium is digested by enzymes / lymphocytes - produce chemicals called antibodies that target specific pathogens)

Natural defense: the body's own immune system and defences.

Artificial Defenses

Artificial defenses include medicines and immunization strategies: (active) vaccines; (passive) antibodies injected to treat infection.

Types of Immunity

Passive immunity: immunity where antibodies are given to a person from the blood of another person or an animal.

Active immunity: the body is actively producing antibodies to fight an infection.

Treatment Notes and Prevention

• Keep hydrated for viral illnesses and rest as needed.
• Vaccination prevents many viral and bacterial diseases (for example, MMR for measles).
• Antibiotics treat bacterial infections when appropriate; follow medical advice.
• Antifungal creams help treat fungal skin infections (athlete's foot, ringworm).
• Seek medical help for severe or persistent symptoms (e.g., CJD, tuberculosis, severe diarrhoea).

Notes

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