Communicable Diseases

What is a disease? an unhealthy condition of the body or mind

Communicable Disease - spreads from person to person
Non communicable disease - you cannot catch it from someone else
Causes of communicable disease: germs, an infection results when germs enter the body, multiply, and cause harm to the body cells.  If the body can't fight off the infection a disease occurs.

4 most common disease causing germs:

  • Viruses - smallest and simplest of disease causing organisms. (Cold, Flu, Measles, Rabies, Aids)
  • Bacteria - one celled organism (Strep throat, gonorrhea, lyme disease, TB)
  • Fungi - one or many celled primitive plants such as mold (Athletes foot, Jock itch, Vaginitis, Thrush, Ring worm)
  • Protozoa - one celled organisms similar to animals (Malaria, Amebic Dysentery, Toxoplasmosis)
Ways germs spread:
  • Direct Contact - if you touch an infected area on another person
  • Contact with animals - bite of an animal or insect (infected)
  • Indirect Contact - germs may be passed on to you by someone who is sick, coughs, sneezes or by sharing cups and utensils
  • Other contacts - eating or drinking contaminated food or water
Bodies First Line of Defense: physical barriers that try to keep germs out of the body -  skin , mucous membranes and saliva, tears and gastric juices

How they respond- germs that get through the first line of defense:
    a) special blood cells surround and destroy them
    b) a chemical is released that stops viruses from reproducing
    c) fever or a rise in body temperature (kills some germs and makes it hard for them to reproduce)

Immune System - group of cells, tissues, and organs that fights specific germs. (lymphocytes - white blood cells that attack germs)

Antibodies - Chemicals produced specifically to fight a particular invading substance

Immunity - resistance to infection

Vaccines - preparations of killed or weakened germs.  Diseases they prevent: diptheria(DPT)=tetanus, OPV=polio, MMR=measles and mumps, HEP B=hepatitis b - cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer

STD's - sexually transmitted diseases - communicable disease spread through sexual contact. Abstinence - avoiding sexual contact

Chlamydia - attack reproductive organs - most common STD - pain and unusual discharge - requires antibiotics.
 
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