Communicable Diseases
There are various kinds of communicable diseases, which affect the health of human beings. These diseases are infectious, i.e. they spread from affected individual to normal individual. These are caused by pathogens such as bacteria, virus, Protozoa and fungi. These pathogens can spread the disease by means of air, water, vectors or sexual contact.
Some of them are as follows
Bacterial Diseases
Following diseases are caused by bacteria
1. Tuberculosis (TB)
• It is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (gram positive).
It spreads through coughing, sneezing, talking and splitting droplets. Symptoms of this disease are fever, cough, sputum with blood, chest pain, loss of appetite, weight loss.
It can be prevented by immunisation that includes BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guerin) vaccine, isolation of patient, sanitation, etc.
Antibiotics such as rifampicin, isoniazid, etc.
2. Diphtheria
• It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae (gram positive).
• Infection occurs through droplets.
• It is characterised by slight fever, oozing of semisolid material in throat (sore throat).
• Immunisation is done with DPT vaccine.
3. Pertussis/Whooping Cough
• It is caused by Bacillus pertussis or Bordetella pertussJS (gram negative).
• Infection occurs through direct contact and droplets Id characterised by inflamation of respiratory passage, co ' cough and mild fever in beginning leading to accumulation of mucus and inspiratory whoop.
use of antibiotic drugs like erythromycin, chloramphenicol and ampicillin.
4, Tetanus/Lock Jaw
Disease (Dhanustamba)
It is caused by Clostlidium tetani
• It is characterised by muscular rigidity (lock jaw) and painful muscular spasm.
• Injection of ATS (Anti Tetanus Serum) within 24 hours of injury leads to protection against this disease.
5. Cholera
• It is caused by Vibrio cholerae.
• It spreads through contaminated food and water or by direct contact.
• It is characterised by effortless watery stool, vomiting, rapid dehydration, muscular cramps.
• It is treated by use of ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) and sanitation.
• ORS contains (IL) 1.5 g glucose, 3.5 g Nacl, 2.9 g KCI and 12.9 g trisodium citrate.
6. Diarrhoea
• It is caused by Salmonella typhimurium (salmonellosis) and Shigella shigae (shigellosis).
• It spreads through contaminated meat and other proteinaceous food articles and transmitted through fingers, beds, clothes and utensils and most importantly by faeces.
• Vomiting, nausea, headache, paratyphoid fever and frequent passage of stool with mucus, blood and abdominal cramps are symptoms.
• Oral and intravenous rehydration is required for treatment.
7. Pneumonia
It is caused by Diplococcus pneumoniae or Streptococcus pneumoniae (gram positive). It transmits through droplets (sputum).
Symptoms are sudden chill, chest parn, cough with rusty mucoid sputum and rise in temperature.
It is treated by uses of drugs like
erythromycin, tetracycline and penicillin.
8. Syphilis
• It is caused by Treponema pallidum (a spirochaete).
• It transmits through sexual contact and from mother to children.
• Common symptoms are painless ulcer on the genitals and swelling of local lymph glands, rashes, hair loss, swollen joints and flu-like illness. Disease is curable through appropriate antibiotics, e.g. penicillin and tetracycline.
9. Gonorrhoea
• It is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeh or Diplococcus gonorrhoeae.
• It spreads through sexual contact,
,common toilets and under clothes.
• Bacterium lives in genital tubes, produces pus containing discharge, pain around genitalia and burning sensation during urination.
• Use of antibiotics, e.g. penicillin, ampicillin and maintain high moral characters.
• It is Venereal Disease (VD) or
Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD).
10. Plague/Bubonic
Plague (Black Death)
• This disease is caused by Yersinia pestis or Pasturella pestis.
• It spreads through rat flea
(Xenopsylla cheopis) to man. Symptoms are armpit and groin swell up into painful buboes, high-fever, chill, exhaustion and haemorrhages, which turns black.
• Treatment with antiplague vaccine, spraying of pesticides for killing of rats.
• Wayson stain test is performed for diagnosis of this disease.
11. Typhoid
• It is caused by Salmonella typhi.
• It spreads through food, milk and water contaminated with intestinal discharge either directly or through houseflies.
• High fever in steps, lesions and ulceration in the intestinal wall are common symptoms.
• Use of antibiotics (ampicillin and chloramphenicol), prolonged treatment is required for this disease. Vidal test is performed for diagnosis of this disease.
12. Leprosy
(Hansen's Disease)
It is caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It does not spread by initial contact, but prolonged closer contact through skin lesions, nasal and throat discharges also spreads this disease.
Sanitation and use of suitable drugs
like dapsone, rifampicin, ofloxacin and chaulmoogra oil along with surgery may protect from the disease.
Bacterium can enter into the body and damage nerves, skin, lymph nodes, eyes, nose, mouth, larynx, muscles, spleen, etc.
Appearance of skin patches, numbness in some body parts, fever, finally ulcer, nodules, lesions, scaly scabs, deformities in finger, toes and wasting of body parts are symptoms.
13. Botulism
• It is caused by Clostridium botulinum. Symptoms are double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty in swallowing, dry mouth and muscle weakness.
• It and spreads water through or food stuffs contaminated product.food
• To remove the source of toxin producing bacteria, the administration d* proper antibiotics
are used.
Viral diseases
1. Measles (Khasra)
It is caused by Rubeola
virus/Polynosa morbillorum.
• It is transmitted by contact,
droplet methods.
• The virus enters through respiratory spots first on trunk, forehead
tract and conjuctiva. and face.
• It is characterised by itching, skin rash, small raised red spot in crescent-shaped groups starting from turn into fluid-filled vesicles and
back of ears and reaching to forehead face and then on whole body.
• Antibiotics and vitamin-A are given to prevent complications. Vaccination MMR (Mumps, Measles, Rubella) is given at the age of one.
2. Mumps
It is caused by paramyxo or mumps virus
It is transmitted by direct contact, droplet
In this disease patient feels difficulty in swallowing and opening of mouth.
Its symptoms are high fever, chills, headache, general bodyaches and loss of appetite.
Treated by vaccination with MMR
3.smallpox (chechuk)
It is caused by Variola virus
Common but let severe in children up to 10 years, but
rare in adults
Symptoms are ready spots, which changes into papules, postules and finally scab.
Spots appear first on the line, then face followed by over rest of the body, but fewer on the trunk. On failing these spots left permanent marks
Vaccination for small pox was developed by Edward Jenner in 1796.
4. Chickenpox
• It is caused by Varicella zoster with incubation period of 14-16 days.
• It is a contagious disease that occurs in winter and springs.
Presencee of prodermal rashes with crops of pinkish centripetal spots first on trunk, forehead and face.
• Uneasiness, aches and high fever accompany each new crop. Spots turn into fluid-filled vesicles and then scabs.
• Scabs fall off without leaving an mark.
No drugs and no vaccines, only use of boric acid and calamine reduces itching problem.
5. Polio/Infantile
Paralysis
• It is caused by Polio virus or Entero virus.
• Highly infectious disease of infant and children.
• Transmitted through faeces, urine and nasal secretions contaminating food, water, drinks, either directly or through flies with an incubation period 5-17 days.
It produces inflammation of the nervous system causing inability to bend the head forward.
Paralysis starts following the weakness of particular skeletal muscles.
Polio is preventive.
Salk's vaccine (now Sabin's oral) is available for taking at the age of 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 week and booster dose at 18-24 months.
The Hoffkine Institute of Mumbai is known for the production of polio
6.Influenza/flu
It is caused by Haemophilus influenzae or Myxovirus influenzae.
it's spreads by entering of contaminated air into respiratory tract
It starts with fever, headache, sore throat, cold with sneezing and pain all over the body with restlessness.
No vaccine, hygiene and sanitation.
7. Rabies/Hydrophobia
• It is caused by Rhabdo virus.
• It is transmitted to human beings by bitting saliva of rabid (mad) dog or cat.
• Jackals, wolves, foxes, mongoose and bats also have rabies virus.
• Initial symptoms of rabies are excessive saliva from mouth, severe headache, high fever, depression and inability to swallow even fluids due to choked throat.
Fear of water, i.e. hydrophobia is most important characteristic.
• The virus destroys the brain and spinal cord.
• Bitten person should be immediately administered vaccine (earlier 14 inoculations but now 6 doses of vaccines) are recommended.
• Dog should be watched for 10 days for the development of rabies symptoms (running amuck, change of vo ce and excessive salivation).
8. Dengue Fever
It is caused by DEN-I-4 virus and transmitted by female Tiger mosquito (Aedes aegypti).
• Its symptoms are headache, fever chill, pain in joints and skin rashes. More severe in adults.
• In this disease, blood platelets number falls below 70000/mm 3 .
Paracetamol with replenishment of blood platelets may be helpful.
9. Hepatitis
• It is commonly called .jaundice, Jaundice is the result of incomplete metabolism of bilirubin pigment of wornout RBCs.
•
Its infection spreads through faecal-oral route and polluted water.
10, AIDS
Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of human immune system.
It is caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
HIV is a lentivirus of the retrovirus family.
HIV can spread by the following methods
(i) Through sexual contact, e.g. oral, vaginal and anal
sex.
(ii) Through blood transfusions, e.g. accidental needle sticks or needle sharing.
(iii) From mother to child, e.g. a pregnant woman can transmit virus to her foetus through their shared blood circulation or a nursing mother can pass it to her baby through breast's milk.
• Major clinical symptoms of AIDS in humans are loss of weight, prolonged fever, chronic diarrhoea, red or brown blotches on or under the skin of nose, mouth. swallon gland, fatigue, etc.
In children less then 12 years of age, persistent cough is not a clinical symptom of AIDS.
• ELISA, PCR and RIP/IFA are the confirmatory tests for AIDS.
• Anti-retroviral drugs, e.g. AZT (Azidothymidine), zidovudine and norvir are used to supress AIDS. AIDS day is observed on 1st December.
11. Yellow Fever
It is caused by Flavi virus.
The mosquito Aedes aegypti transmits the virus to humans.
Its symptoms are aching muscles particularly the back and knee muscles, dizziness, loss of appetite, nausea, shivers (chills) and vomiting. Skin and whites of eyes take a yellow tinge.
NO effective antiviral medication, but making sure the patient's blood pressure is adequate, replacing lost blood and treating any secondary infections.
This disease is not prevalent in India.
9.Hepatitis
It is commonly called jaundice.
jaundice is the result of incomplete metabolism of bilirubin pigment of burnout RBC
Its infection spreads through facial oral route and polluted water.
Initially liver is enlarged and congested
Symptoms are fever nausea vomiting pain in muscles and joints. Urine is dark and stool is pale.
6 varieties of hepatitis viruses are HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HEV, and HGV.
Personal cleanliness, use of boiled water, properly cooked/clean food articles and control of flies are required.
12. Chikungunya
It is caused by Alphavirus and spreads by Aedes mosquito.
The symptoms are fever, joint pain, swelling and rashes. It can be prevented by checking mosquito populations. No such treatment apart from paracetamol and anti inflammatory drugs.
13. swine Flu
It is caused by H1N1 virus.
It is also called hog flu or pig influenza.
The risk of this disease is higher in those, who consume pork.
Symptomss are fever, lethargy, sneezing, coughing, difficulty in breathing and decreased appetite.
Tamiflu and relenza vaccine are used to prevent this disease.
Theree is absence of an effective treatment or vaccine for swine flu.
Helminthic Diseases
These diseases are caused by helminthic worms. Some helminthic diseases are
1. Ascariasis
It is caused by Ascaris lumbricoides.
It spreads through raw vegetables, dirty hands and ingestion of contaminated soil.
Its symptoms are nausea, cough and severe abdominal pain. Intestinal destruction may also occur.
Preventive measures includes sanitation and uses of antihelminthic drugs.
2. Taeniasis
It is caused by Taenia solium.
It spreads through improperly cooked food and also through raw vegetables, which are not properly washed.
The symptoms are chronic indigestion, anorexia, similar symptoms of epilepsy.
Treated by sanitation, use of properly cooked food and helminthic drugs.
3. Filariasis
• It is caused by Wuchereria bancrofti.
• Transmitted by Culex sp. of mosquito.
• Fever, legs may become swollen and resemble with those of elephant. So, this disease is also called elephantiasis.
The preventive measures includes destruction of mosquitoes and use of mosquito repellent creams and mats and antihelminthic drugs.
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