Contagious disease

A contagious disease is a disease that is readily spread (that is, communicated) by transmission of a
pathogen from an infected person to another person.[1] Contagious diseases vary in how readily they are
communicated. For example, COVID-19, which spreads by transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus
from one person to another, is extremely contagious.[2]

Conversely, a non-contagious disease either cannot be transmitted from one person to another or the
probability of transmitting the disease to another person is low.[3]

A disease is often known to be contagious before medical science discovers its causative agent. Koch's
postulates, which were published at the end of the 19th century, were the standard for the next 100 years or
more, especially with diseases caused by bacteria. Microbial pathogenesis attempts to account for diseases
caused by a virus.

able to be passed from one individual to another through contact a contagious disease. 2 : having a
sickness that can be passed to someone else. 3 : causing other people to feel or act a similar way a
contagious laugh.

A contagious disease is one that can be spread from person to person. A contagion, like a virus or bacteria,
is the agent responsible for causing contagious diseases. The disease itself can also be called a contagion

Contents
Historical meaning
Effect on public health response
See also
References

Historical meaning
Originally, the term referred to a contagion (a derivative of 'contact') or disease transmissible only by direct
physical contact. In the modern-day, the term has sometimes been broadened to encompass any
communicable or infectious disease. Often the word can only be understood in context, where it is used to
emphasize very infectious, easily transmitted, or especially severe communicable diseases.

In 1849, John Snow first proposed that cholera was a contagious disease.

Effect on public health response

Most epidemics are caused by contagious diseases, with occasional exceptions, such as yellow fever. The
spread of non-contagious communicable diseases is changed either very little or not at all by medical
isolation of ill persons or medical quarantine for exposed persons. Thus, a "contagious disease" is
sometimes defined in practical terms, as a disease for which isolation or quarantine are useful public health
responses.[4]
Some locations are better suited for the research into the
contagious pathogens due to the reduced risk of transmission
afforded by a remote or isolated location.

Negative room pressure is a technique in health care facilities

based on aerobiological designs.

See also
Germ theory of disease This clinic uses negative room
Herd immunity pressure to prevent disease
transmission

References
1. "Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of contagious disease" (http://www.thefreedictionary.c
om/Contagious+disease). Retrieved 2009-11-27.
2. Cevik, Muge; Tate, Matthew; Lloyd, Ollie; Maraolo, Alberto Enrico; Schafers, Jenna; Ho,
Antonia (2021-01-01). "SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV viral load dynamics,
duration of viral shedding, and infectiousness: a systematic review and meta-analysis" (http
s://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666524720301725). The Lancet Microbe. 2
(1): e13–e22. doi:10.1016/S2666-5247(20)30172-5 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS2666-524
7%2820%2930172-5). hdl:10023/21023 (https://hdl.handle.net/10023%2F21023).
ISSN 2666-5247 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/2666-5247). S2CID 228865018 (https://api.s
emanticscholar.org/CorpusID:228865018).
3. Non-Contagious Diseases - Contact With (https://www.transfusionguidelines.org/dsg/wb/gui
delines/no005-non-contagious-diseases-contact-with) www.transfusionguidelines.org,
accessed 27 January 2020.
4. A primer from the CDC on quarantine and its uses against contagious disease spread (http://
www.redcross.org/preparedness/cdc_english/IsoQuar.asp) Accessed Nov. 27, 2009.

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