Infectious diseases are generally disorders invoked by organisms — such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites. Multiple organisms exist in and on our bodies.
They’re usually harmless or even beneficial. However, under certain conditions, some of these organisms can cause disease.
Certain infectious diseases can be transferred from one person to another. Insects and animals transmit some. And you may contract others by eating contaminated food or drinking water or being influenced by organisms in the environment.
Symptoms and signs may vary due to the organism creating the infection but more often, including fever and fatigue. Moderate conditions could react to resting and home remedies, whereas certain life-threatening conditions may require hospital treatment.
Numerous infectious diseases, as chickenpox and measles and can be avoided by vaccines. Frequent and thorough hand-cleaning also aids protect you from some of the most contagious diseases.
Symptoms
Every infectious disease has its own particular signs and symptoms. Overall signs and symptoms common to a large number of infectious diseases include:
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Muscle aches
- Coughing
When to visit a doctor
Ask for medical attention in case you:
- Have been bitten by some animal
- Are having trouble with breathing
- Have been coughing for over a week
- Have severe headache with fever
- Experience a rash or swelling
- Have an unexplained or prolonged fever
- Have abrupt vision problems
Causes
Infectious diseases may be caused by:
- Bacteria. Those one-cell organisms are the reason for illnesses such as strep throat, urinary infections, and tuberculosis.
- Viruses. Even though smaller than bacteria, viruses cause various diseases ranging from the usual cold to AIDS.
- Fungi. Numerous skin diseases, such as athlete’s foot and ringworm, are caused by fungi. Another type of fungi may infect your lungs or also the nervous system.
- Parasites. Malaria is caused by a minuscule parasite that is transmitted by a mosquito bite. Other parasites can be transmitted to humans from animal feces.
Direct contact
An easy method to contract most infectious diseases is by coming in direct contact with a person or an animal having the infection. Infectious diseases may be spread through direct contact such as:
- Person to person. Infectious diseases mainly spread through the direct transfer of bacteria, viruses, or other germs from one person to another. That can happen when a person with the bacterium or virus touches, kisses, or coughs, or sneezes on someone who is free from infection.These bacterias may also spread through the exchange of bodily fluids from sexual contact. The person who passes the germ may have no symptoms of the disease, but may simply be a carrier.
- Animal to person. Getting bitten or perhaps scratched by an infected animal – actually even a pet – makes you ill as well as, in conditions that are extraordinary, could be deadly. Handling pet waste is hazardous, too. For instance, you are able to buy a toxoplasmosis illness by scooping your cat’s litter box.
- Mother to the unborn child. A pregnant female may pass germs that create infectious diseases to the unborn baby of her. Some germs are able to pass through the placenta or perhaps through breast milk. Germs in the vagina may also be transmitted to the infant during birth.
Indirect contact
Disease-causing organisms also could be passed by indirect communication. Many germs are able to linger on an inanimate object, like a tabletop, doorknob, or even a faucet handle.
When you suspect a doorknob managed by someone sick with the flu or even a cold, for instance, you are able to get the germs he or perhaps she left behind. If you then touch the eyes, nose, or mouth before washing the hands, you might be infected.
Insect bites
Some germs fall back on insect carriers – like mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, or perhaps lice – to go from host to host. These carriers are referred to as vectors. Mosquitoes are able to carry the malaria parasite or perhaps the West Nile virus. Deer ticks might carry the bacterium which causes Lyme disease.
Food contamination
Disease-causing germs also can infect you through contaminated water and food. This mechanism of transmission enables germs to be distributed to many people through one source. Escherichia coli (E. coli), for instance, is a bacterium contained in or perhaps on specific foods – for example, undercooked hamburgers or perhaps unpasteurized fruit juice.
Risk factors
While anyone is able to catch infectious diseases, you could be much more likely to get sick if the immune system is not working right. This might occur if:
- You are taking steroids or any other medications that suppress the body’s immune system, like anti-rejection drugs for any transplanted organ
- You’ve HIV or perhaps AIDS
- You’ve certain cancer types or other disorders which affect your immune system
Additionally, some other health conditions might predispose you to illness, which includes implanted medical products, extremes, and malnutrition of age, among others.
Complications
The majority of infectious diseases have only small complications. But some infections – like pneumonia, meningitis, and AIDS – can become life-threatening. A couple of kinds of infection have been linked to a long term increased risk of cancer:
- Human papillomavirus is connected to cervical cancer
- Helicobacter pylori are connected to peptic ulcers and stomach cancer
- Hepatitis C and B have been connected to liver cancer
Additionally, some infectious diseases might be silent, only to show up once again in the future – at times even decades later on. For instance, someone who is had chickenpox might develop shingles later in life.
Prevention
Follow these tips to reduce the risk of infection:
- Wash your hands. This is particularly important before as well as after making food items, before eating, and after using the bathroom. And never touch the eyes of yours, mouth, or perhaps nose with the hands, as that is typical way germs get into the body.
- Get vaccinated. Vaccination can significantly reduce the chances of contracting numerous diseases. Be certain to keep updated on your recommended vaccinations, in addition to your children’s.
- Stay home when ill. Don’t go to work if you’re vomiting, have diarrhea, or perhaps have a fever. Do not send the kid to school in case he or perhaps she’s these signs, also.
- Prepare food safely. Keep counters and other kitchen surfaces clean up when creating dishes. Cook foods to the appropriate temperature, making use of a food thermometer to check out for doneness. For ground meats, which implies no less than 160 F (seventy-one C); for chicken, 165 F (seventy-four C); and for many other types of meat, a minimum of 145 F (sixty-three C).Also faster refrigerate leftovers – do not let prepared foods stay at room temperature for long stretches of time.
- Practice safe sex. Always use condoms in case you or perhaps your partner has a story of sexually transmitted infections or perhaps high-risk behavior.
- Don’t share personal items. Use your very own toothbrush, razor, and comb. Stay away from sharing drinking glasses or perhaps dining utensils.
- Travel wisely. If you are traveling from the nation, speak with your physician about any specific vaccinations – like yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A or perhaps B, or perhaps typhoid fever – you might need.
