Explain the different means of spreading infectious diseases.
Explain the different means of spreading infectious diseases.
Infectious Diseases:
The diseases that are caused by the infection of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi are transferred from a diseased person to a healthy person thus they are communicable diseases.
Means of spreading infectious diseases: These include:
- Direct means of transmission
- Indirect means of transmission
Direct means of transmission: The mode of transmission by which the infectious agent is directly transmitted to a healthy person without any intermediate agent. It includes contact with infected people, contact with soil, the bites of animals, and droplet infection.
- Contact with an infected person: Physical contact or sexual contact with a diseased person leads to diseases such as AIDS, syphilis, and gonorrhea.
- Contact with soil: Infectious agents can transmit to the human body from soil through injuries.
- Droplet infection: The tuberculosis bacteria is generally transmitted to a healthy person if a diseased person sneezes in front of a healthy person, coughs, and spits on the road.
Indirect means of transmission: The mode of transmission by which pathogens are transferred to a healthy person with an intermediate agent. It includes vectors like mosquitoes and, flies, intake of contaminated food, water, and transmission through the air.
- Vectors: Vectors are living organisms that transmit their pathogens from an infected person to a healthy person. Vectors are usually insects such as housefly transfer pathogens to a healthy person.
- Contaminated food and water: The intake of food and water contaminated with pathogens can transfer harmful diseases to a healthy person. Diseases that spread from the intake of contaminated water and food are called waterborne and foodborne diseases. Waterborne diseases include typhoid, cholera, and food-borne diseases include diarrhea and amoebiasis.
- Transmission through the air: Infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses can be transmitted to a healthy person through air, dust, and droplets ( emitted by sneezing and coughing ). Common colds, pneumonia, and tuberculosis are transmitted through the air.
Infectious Diseases:
The diseases that are caused by the infection of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi are transferred from a diseased person to a healthy person thus they are communicable diseases.
Means of spreading infectious diseases: These include:
- Direct means of transmission
- Indirect means of transmission
Direct means of transmission: The mode of transmission by which the infectious agent is directly transmitted to a healthy person without any intermediate agent. It includes contact with infected people, contact with soil, the bites of animals, and droplet infection.
- Contact with an infected person: Physical contact or sexual contact with a diseased person leads to diseases such as AIDS, syphilis, and gonorrhea.
- Contact with soil: Infectious agents can transmit to the human body from soil through injuries.
- Droplet infection: The tuberculosis bacteria is generally transmitted to a healthy person if a diseased person sneezes in front of a healthy person, coughs, and spits on the road.
Indirect means of transmission: The mode of transmission by which pathogens are transferred to a healthy person with an intermediate agent. It includes vectors like mosquitoes and, flies, intake of contaminated food, water, and transmission through the air.
- Vectors: Vectors are living organisms that transmit their pathogens from an infected person to a healthy person. Vectors are usually insects such as housefly transfer pathogens to a healthy person.
- Contaminated food and water: The intake of food and water contaminated with pathogens can transfer harmful diseases to a healthy person. Diseases that spread from the intake of contaminated water and food are called waterborne and foodborne diseases. Waterborne diseases include typhoid, cholera, and food-borne diseases include diarrhea and amoebiasis.
- Transmission through the air: Infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses can be transmitted to a healthy person through air, dust, and droplets ( emitted by sneezing and coughing ). Common colds, pneumonia, and tuberculosis are transmitted through the air.
