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Explain the different means of spreading infectious diseases.


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Solution

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:

  1. Direct means of transmission
  2. 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.

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