Measures taken to decrease contact with reservoirs of infection include:

 Condom use to prevent transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted

infections (STIs).
 Use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) over the bed at night, insect repellants and
wearing protective clothing to prevent diseases transmitted by insect vectors.
 Wearing surgical or very clean gloves and clean protective clothing while
examining patients, particularly if they have wounds, or the examination involves
the genital area.
 Keeping personal hygiene, like taking a daily bath and washing your hands
frequently. Hand washing with soap and water is the simplest and one of the most
effective ways to prevent transmission of many communicable diseases (Figure
2.5). The times when hands must be washed are indicated in Box 2.4.
Hand washing with soap and water is the simplest and most effective way to prevent
transmission of communicable diseases. (Photo: Basiro Davey)
Box 2.4 When to wash hands with soap and clean water?
 After using the toilet

 After handling animals or animal waste

 After changing a diaper (nappy) or cleaning a child’s bottom
 Before and after preparing food
 Before eating
 After blowing the nose, coughing, or sneezing
 Before and after caring for a sick person
 After handling waste material.

ummary of Study Session 2

In Study Session 2, you have learned that:

1. Communicable diseases can be classified based on their clinical or epidemiologic

features.
2. Clinical classification is based on the main clinical manifestations of the disease (e.g.
diseases characterised by diarrhoea are classified as diarrheal diseases; diseases
characterised by fever are febrile diseases).
3. Epidemiologic classifications are based on the mode of transmission and include
foodborne, waterborne, airborne and vector-borne diseases.
4. Prevention and control measures for communicable diseases may target the
reservoir of infection, the mode of transmission, or the susceptible host.
 5. Measures against a human reservoir include treatment and isolation. Measures
against animal reservoirs can be treatment or destroying the animal.
6. Measures against transmitters like food, water, other vehicles, and vectors, include
hand washing with soap, effective use of latrines, destruction of breeding sites,
disinfection, sterilisation and disinfestation.
7. Measures to protect susceptible hosts include vaccination, keeping personal
hygiene, use of bed nets and use of condoms.
8. Community diagnosis of health problems involves data collection; data analysis;
prioritising interventions based on the magnitude and severity of the problem, the
feasibility of addressing it, and the level of concern; and making and implementing
an effective action plan.
SAQ 2.3 (tests Learning Outcomes 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5)
Suppose in a certain rainy season you diagnosed malaria in several people who came
to you seeking treatment. Then, you undertook the following measures:

 a.You treated each patient with the appropriate drug.

 b.You mobilised the community to eradicate breeding sites of mosquitoes.
 c.You gave health education on the proper use of bed nets.
Which factor in the chain of disease transmission are you targeting with each of the
above measures?

SAQ 2.4 (tests Learning Outcomes 2.1, 2.3, 2.4 and 2.5)
Which of the following statements are true and which are false? In each case, explain
your reasoning.

A Isolation of the susceptible host is advised for the duration of the incubation period of
a severe and easily transmitted disease.

B Sterilisation refers to the destruction of all forms of micro-organisms by physical or

chemical agents such as alcohol and chlorine.

C Vaccination and vector control target the infected host so as to prevent transmission
of infection.