Diseases and Vaccines

Diseases and Vaccines
Diseases and vaccines

Topics covered
1. Basics
1. Diseases- Types
2. Microbes- Diseases
2. Immune System
1. Types
2. Functioning
3. Vaccines
1. Types
2. Functioning
4. Antibiotics and Anti-virals

5. Immunisation Programs in India
6. Diseases that are currently in news
1. Corona Virus Disease
2. Hanta Virus Disease
3. Kyasanur forest disease
4. Yellow Fever
5. Swine Flu
6. CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS (CDV)
7. Rota Virus Disease
8. Zika
9. Ebola
10. Nipah
11. Measles- Rubella
12. Lymphatic Filariasis
13. Japanese Encephalitis
14. Leptospirosis
15. H9N2
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Diseases-
A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of
an organism, and that is not due to any immediate external injury.
Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that are associated with specific symptoms and signs.
Diseases are categorised into communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Characteristics Communicable Diseases Non-communicable diseases
Definition Diseases spread from one to Diseases cannot be transmitted from one to
another person. Can be spread another person
through water, air etc
Causative Pathogens that are highly Here, the causative is allergies, malnutrition,
infectious and vectors transmit illness due to internal factors, lifestyle changes,
these diseases environmental changes, abnormalities in cell
proliferation etc
Agent causing Virus, bacteria, etc. No agents
infection
Inheritance Cannot be inherited from one Can be inherited from generation on
factor generation to another
Example AIDS, Typhoid, Tuberculosis, Allergies, cancer, heart diseases, diabetes
Malaria, Cholera
Type of disease As it can develop almost As it develops over a period of time and lasts for
immediately, it is acute long, it is chronic
Treatment Traditional methods/therapies Surgically or specialized methodologies
Fig: Non Communicable Diseases

Microbes
Microbes are tiny living things that are found all around us and are too small to be seen by the naked eye.
✓ A few harmful microbes, for example less than 1% of bacteria, can invade our body (the host) and make
us ill. Microbes cause infectious diseases such as flu and measles.
✓ Microbes that causes disease are called pathogens.
There are 4 types of microbes that cause disease;

✓ Viruses
✓ Bacteria
✓ Fungi
✓ Protozoa (also known as protoctista).
Viruses
✓ Viruses are very small, and most can only be seen with an electron microscope.
They just contain a core of nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a covering layer of protein (no
cytoplasm, cell membrane or anything else).
✓ They are not usually considered as living organisms, as they are very simple and do not carry out most
of the living processes which other living organisms perform.
✓ Viruses are not made of cells, and are sometimes referred to as virus particles or virions.
✓ Viruses are inactive when outside of a living cell, but once their nucleic acid is inside they take over the
cell's activities. Usually they make many copies of themselves inside the cell, then break out of the cell
and infect others.
✓ Viruses cannot be killed by antibiotics such as penicillin.
Virus Viroid Prion

An infective agent that The infectious particle An infectious protein
typically consists of a nucleic smaller than the known particle similar to a virus but
acid molecule in a protein viruses, serving as an agent lacking nucleic acid;
coat and is able to multiply of certain plant diseases
only with in the living cells of
a host
Can cause wide variety of Infect only plant cells degenerative diseases of
infections nervous system
Contains either DNA or RNA Contains a short strand of Contains only proteins and
as their nucleic acids circular, single stranded RNA lack nucleic acids
as their nucleic acid
Contains protein coat No protein coat -
surrounding its nucleic acid
Diseases caused by virus

DISEASES AFFECTED ORGAN NAME OF VIRUS SYMPTOMS
AIDS Defensive system HIV Immune system of
(WBC) body becomes weak.
Dengue fever Whole body Dengue Virus Pain in muscles, head
particularly head, and joints.
eyes and joints
Polio Throat, backbone Polio virus Fever, body pain,
nerve backbone and
intestine cells are
destroyed.
Chicken pox Whole body Variola virus High fever, radish
eruption on body.
Small pox Whole body Varicella virus Light fever, eruption
of bile on body.
Measles Whole body Morbeli virus Reddish eruption on
body.
Herpes Skin Herpes virus Swelling in skin.
COVID-19 Lungs and SARS Cov-2 Virus Fever, difficulty in

respiratory system breathing, cough,etc.
Bacteria
Bacteria are single celled organisms, only visible (as "dots" and "dashes") with a (good) light microscope.
✓ They are larger than viruses but smaller than ordinary cells of the human body. They contain DNA
but this is not inside a structure like a nucleus.
✓ Not all bacteria cause disease; some are very useful "in nature". When bacteria infect the body, they
can reproduce quite fast.
✓ Often, they produce chemicals called toxins which have the actual effect which causes an
illness. Bacteria can usually be killed by antibiotics such as penicillin.
DISEASES CAUSED BY BACTERIA:

DISEASES AFFECTED ORGAN NAME OF BACTERIA SYMPTOMS
Tetanus Nervous system Clostridium tetani High fever, spasm in
body, closing of jaws
etc
Cholera Intestine Vibro cholerae Continuous stool and
vomiting
Typhoid Intestine Salmonella typhia High fever , head-ache
Tuberculosis Lungs Myccbacterium Repea-ted cough-ing
tuberculosis
Diphtheria Respiratory tube Coryne-bacterium Difficulty in respire-
diptheriae tion and suffocating
Plague Lungs , area between Pasteurella pesties Very high fever,
two legs muscular eruption on
body
Whooping cough Respiratory system Hemophilis pertusis Continu-ous coughing

Pneumonia Lungs Diplococcus High fever, swelling in
pnemoniae lungs
Leprosy Nervous system skin Mycobacterium Spots on body, nerves
leprae affected.
Fungi
Fungi (singular fungus) are slightly larger than bacteria, and their DNA is contained inside nuclei like plant
and animal cells.
✓ They are more suited to living in a liquid environment.
✓ Not all fungi cause disease; some are very useful "in nature".
Examples of diseases caused by fungi: Athlete's foot (not only caught by athletes, or confined to the foot!),
ringworm (not a worm),etc
Protozoa/protoctista
These are generally single celled organisms with true nuclei and a cell membrane, so they are quite like our
body cells.
Examples of diseases caused by protozoa/protoctista: Malaria, sleeping sickness, dysentery., etc.
DISEASES CAUSED BY PROTOZOANS:
DISEASES AFFECTED ORGAN PARASITE SYMPTOMS
Malaria RBC & liver Plasmodium Fever with shiver-
ing
Pyorrhoea Gums Entamoeba gingivilis Bleed-ing from
gums
Sleeping sickness Brain Trpano-somia Fever with sever
sleep
Kala- azar Bone marrow Leismania donovani High fever
DISEASES CAUSED BY WORMS (helminths):

Filariasis
✓ Pathogen: Filarial worm
✓ Mode of transmission: Bites of mosquitoes: Aedes and culex.
✓ Symptoms
Swelling takes place in certain parts of body like legs, breast, scrotum etc.
Swelling of legs which appear as legs of elephant, so this disease is also called elephantiasis.
✓ Prevention and cure: Mesh doors and windows in house to check the entry of mosquitoes.
IMMUNE SYSTEM
✓ Immune system fights the disease-causing agents when they try to enter into our body.
✓ It consists of a complex network of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.
✓ Immune system recognizes and defends the body from foreign substances, primarily disease-causing
microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi is called immune system.
✓ Organs and tissues of the immune system include the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, tonsils, mucous
membranes, and skin.
Fig: Organs and Tissues of Immune System

Immunity: Resistance of the body for an infection.
Herd immunity
✓ Herd immunity is the resistance of a group of people to an infection.
✓ It arises due to the immunity of a high proportion of the population, for example
because they have been vaccinated or been exposed to the pathogen before.
Fig: How immune system works? (*NKC means- Natural Killer Cells)
When the immune system is unable to fight or insufficiently fights with the disease-causing element that
enters into our body, the person falls ill.
Types of Immunity:
Fig: Types of Immunity

Vaccination
A vaccine is a substance that is introduced into the body to stimulate the body’s immune response.
It is given to prevent an infectious disease from developing and the person becoming ill.
e.g. polio vaccine, BCG, Measles vaccine etc.
Fig: Working of Vaccines

Types of Vaccines:
Vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.
These are categorised into 3 generations:
I. First Generation Vaccines-
✓ These vaccines consist of infectious organisms, either in mild or dead form.

✓ The first-generation vaccines are still widely used today. Eg. Polio vaccine.
✓ There are chances that mild viruses get into dangerous form.
II. Second Generation Vaccines- (Sub Unit Vaccines)
✓ These vaccines were created in order to minimise the risks of having the pathogen revert to a dangerous
form.
Eg. DTP vaccine
✓ The way these vaccines work is that they do not contain the whole organism, but rather contain only
subunits.
III. Third Generation Vaccines- (DNA Vaccine)
DNA vaccines are called as third generation vaccines. These vaccines are made up of a small, circular piece
of bacterial DNA (called a plasmid) that has been genetically engineered to produce one or two specific
proteins (antigens) from a pathogen.
Fig: Types of Vaccines
Production of Modern Vaccine:
Fig: Production of Hepatitis B Vaccine

Antibiotics
Antibiotics are chemicals that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria and are used to treat bacterial infections.
E.g. penicillin, Tetracycline etc.
How do antibiotics work?
✓ Antibiotics take advantage of the difference between the structure of the bacterial cell and the host’s
cell.
✓ They either prevent the bacterial cells from multiplying so that the bacterial population remains the
same, allowing the host’s defence mechanism to fight the infection or kill the bacteria, for example
stopping the mechanism responsible for building their cell walls.
Anti virals
✓ Antivirals are a class of medications that are used to treat viral infections.
✓ Most viral infections resolve spontaneously in immunocompetent individuals.
✓ The aim of antiviral therapy is to minimize symptoms and infectivity as well as to shorten the duration
of illness.
✓ These drugs act by arresting the viral replication cycle at various stages.
✓ Currently, antiviral therapy is available only for a limited number of infections. Most of the antiviral
drugs currently available are used to treat infections caused by HIV, herpes viruses, hepatitis B and C
viruses, and influenza A and B viruses.
✓ Unlike other antimicrobials, antiviral drugs do not deactivate or destroy the virus but act by inhibiting
replication.
✓ In this way, they prevent the viral load from increasing to a point where it could cause pathogenesis,
allowing the body's innate immune mechanisms to neutralize the virus.
ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR)- WHO DEFINITION

✓ Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some
parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working
against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to
others.
✓ When the microorganisms become resistant to most antimicrobials they are often referred to as
“superbugs”.
Fig: Anti biotic resistance
Difference between antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance

CAUSES • Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of
antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections (such as urinary tract infections,
pneumonia, bloodstream infections) making them ineffective.
• Antimicrobial resistance is a broader term, encompassing resistance to drugs that
treat infections caused by other microbes as well, such as parasites (e.g. malaria or
helminths), viruses (e.g. HIV) and fungi (e.g. Candida).
Antimicrobial resistance occurs naturally but is facilitated by the inappropriate use of medicines
• Using antibiotics for viral infections such as cold or flu, or sharing antibiotics.
• Low-quality medicines,
• Wrong prescriptions and
• Poor infection prevention and control also encourage the development and spread of drug
resistance.
India- Immunisation Program-
Universal Immunization Programme (UIP)
Immunization Programme in India was introduced in 1978 as ‘Expanded Programme of Immunization’ (EPI)
by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
Vaccine Preventable Disease(VPD) Vaccine
Tuberculosis BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guerin)
Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus DPT
Poliomyelitis Oral Polio Vaccine(OPV) and Inactivated Polio
Vaccine(IPV)
Hepatitis B Hepatitis B Vaccine
Measles Measles
Tetanus Tetanus Toxoid (TT)
Haemophilus influenzae type b Infection Hib containing Pentavalent vaccine
(DPT+HepB+Hib) (In Selected States)
Rotavirus Infections Rotavirus Vaccine
Measles, Rubella Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccine
Japanese Encephalitis(JE) Adult JE Vaccine
Mission Indradanush- 2014

✓ To strengthen and re-energize the UIP and achieve full immunization coverage for all children and
pregnant women at a rapid pace.
✓ The ultimate goal of Mission Indradhanush was to ensure full immunization with all available vaccines
for children up to two years of age and pregnant women.
Intensified Mission Indradanush(IMI)

To further intensify the immunization programme, Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) was launched in
October 2017.
Through this programme, Government of India aims to reach each and every child up to two years of age
and all those pregnant women who have been left uncovered under the routine immunisation
programme/UIP.
National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP): For control of Dengue and elimination of
Kala-azar and Lymphatic Filariasis.
National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Elimination(2017-2025)
✓ To achieve active case finding of TB to 100% by 2020 and complete elimination of TB by 2025.
✓ The four strategic pillars of the programme are: Detect-Treat-Prevent-Build(DTPB).
National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22)

The plan aims to achieve universal case detection and treatment services in malaria endemic districts to
ensure 100% diagnosis of all suspected cases and full treatment of all confirmed cases.
DISEASES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN NEWS
1. Corona Virus Disease
2. Hanta Virus Disease
3. Kyasanur forest disease
4. Yellow Fever
5. Swine Flu
7. Rota Virus Disease
8. Zika
9. Ebola
10. Nipah
11. Measles- Rubella
12. Lymphatic Filariasis
13. Japanese Encephalitis
14. Leptospirosis
15. H9N2
1. Corona virus-
Characteristic Description
Caused by SARS CoV-2
Spread by Inconclusive – (Bats, sea food, etc.)
Symptoms Cough, fever, severe pneumonia
Diagnosis RT-PCR
Vaccine Yes
Available
Additional WHO declared it as pandemic

Information
2. Hanta virus
Caused by Orthohanta virus
Spread by Urine, droppings, saliva of rodents
Symptoms hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome
Diagnosis RT- PCR
Vaccine Yes- Hanta Virus Vaccine

Available
Additional The virus does not spread from person-to-person.

Information
The virus is not airborne.
3. Kyasanur forest disease (KFD)
Caused by kyasanur forest disease virus (KFDV).
Spread by Rodents, shrews and monkeys through virus infected ticks
Symptoms Fever and headache, Sever muscle pain with vomiting,

gastrointestinal symptoms and bleeding problem, Abnormal BP
and low platelets, RBC, WBC count
Diagnosis PCR Test
Vaccine No
Available
Additional Spreads during summer season
Information
Hunters , Herders and farmers are vulnerable to this.
Person to person transmission has not been observed.
Fig: Kyasanur Forest Disease
Zoonosis (as defined by WHO)

✓ A zoonosis is any disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate
animals to humans.
✓ Animals thus play an essential role in maintaining zoonotic infections in nature.
Zoonoses may be bacterial, viral, or parasitic, or may involve unconventional agents
Epizootic disease
✓ Epizootic is a disease event in a nonhuman animal population, analogous to an
epidemic in humans.
✓ An epizootic may be: restricted to a specific locale (an "outbreak"), general (an
"epizootic"), or widespread ("panzootic").
4. Yellow Fever
Caused by Yellow fever virus
Spread by Aedes aegypti Mosquitos
Symptoms Fever, Headache., Muscle aches, particularly in your back and knees.,
Sensitivity to light., Nausea, vomiting or both., Dizziness.
Diagnosis ELISA test
Vaccine Yes
Available
Additional Eyes turn yellow , so the name yellow fever

Information
5. Swine Flu
Caused by Influenza viruses H1N1 and H3N2
Spread by Pigs
Symptoms Fever, lethargy, difficulty in breathing
Diagnosis Real time PCR
Vaccine Available Yes
Caused by CDV Virus
Spread by In animals
Symptoms -
Diagnosis PCR and ELISA tets
Vaccine Available No
Additional CDV is considered dangerous virus and is blamed for wiping

Information out 30% population of African lions in east African forests.
7. Rotavirus Disease
Caused by Rota virus
Spread by Water contamination- Faecal-oral route, contact with contaminated

hands, surfaces and objects, and possibly by the respiratory route
Symptoms Fever, nausea, and vomiting, abdominal cramps and frequent watery
diarrhoea.
Diagnosis Stool test
Vaccine Yes- Rota Virus Vaccine

Available
Additional Leading cause of severe diarrhoea and death among children less than five
Information years of age.
8. ZIKA VIRUS
Caused by Zika Virus (Flaviviridae Virus group)
Spread by Ades agyepti Mosquitos
Symptoms Fever, rashes, joint pain, red eyes, loss of appetite – (Similar to Dengue-
Confusion)
Diagnosis RT- PCR
Vaccine No
Available
Additional Pregnant women infected with zika virus may give birth to babies with
Information severe brain damage or serious birth defects, i.e, neurological disorders
and foetal deformation know as Microcephaly in which infants are born
with abnormally smaller heads.
9. EBOLA
Caused by Ebola Virus
Spread by Close contact with blood, secretions, organs and other body
fluids.
Symptoms abrupt fever, fatigue, muscle pain and headache.

Diarrhea, rash, impaired kidney and liver functions.
Diagnosis ELISA
Antigen detection test .
Serum neutralization tests.
RT-PCR assay.
Electron microscopy.
10. NIPAH VIRUS (NiV)
Caused by Nipah Virus
Spread by It is transmitted through direct contact with infected bats, pigs.

Human to human transmission is also reported through air droplets.
Symptoms Illness with fever and headache, Drowsiness and mental confusion,
Infection to acute respiratory syndrome and fatal encephalitis
Diagnosis PCR test
Additional Bats are natural hosts of Nipah

Information
11. MEASLES-RUBELLA
✓ Contagious air-borne infection of the respiratory tract.
✓ Caused by a virus in the paramyxovirus family.
✓ Can spread through direct contact or coughing, sneezing etc.
12. Lymphatic Filariasis (lF)

✓ LF is commonly known as Elephantiasis. It is one of oldest and most debilitating neglected tropical
disease, which is currently endemic in 73 countries including India.
✓ LF disease is caused mainly by Wucheria Bancrofti and spread by Culex mosquito.
✓ Poor sanitation, water and hygiene are some reasons for spread.
✓ LF does not kill affected person, but may cause permanent disfigurement, reduced productivity and
social stigma.
✓ Global Alliance to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GAELF)
✓ GAELF is an alliance of partners from 72 LF endemic national country programmes,
NGO’s, private sectors, academic and research institutes and international
development agencies that assists WHO’s Global programme to eliminate
Lymphatic Filariasis. It was formed in 2001, since then it is being held biennially.
13. JAPENESE ENCEPHALIYIS (JE)
Caused by JE is mosquito borne flavivirus. It belongs to same genus as

dengue, yellow fever and west Nile virus.
Spread by Mosquitos
Symptoms Mild fever and headache or without apparent symptoms
Diagnosis Blood and cerebral fluid testing
Vaccine Yes- JE Vaccine

Available
Additional JE primarily affects children. Most adults in endemic countries

Information have natural immunity after childhood infection, but individuals of
any age may be affected.
14. Leptospirosis
✓ Leptospirosis is an emerging tropical infectious bacterial disease that affects humans and animals.
It caused by corkscrew-shaped bacteria called Leptospira.
✓ The bacteria can be transmitted via exposure to contaminated water or soil or direct contact with
reservoirs hosts like wild or domestic animals.
✓ In humans it can be cause a wide range of symptoms such as mild headaches, muscle pains and
severe fevers with bleeding from lungs or meningitis.
✓ Currently there is no prevention vaccine for humans.
15. H9N2 virus

✓ Indian scientists have detected the country‘s first case of infection with a rare variant of the virus that
causes avian influenza, or bird flu.
✓ In the December 2019 issue of the Emerging Infectious Diseases journal of the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), scientists of the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, have reported
avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection in a 17-month-old boy in Maharashtra.
✓ H9N2 is a subtype of the influenza A virus, which causes human influenza as well as bird flu.
✓ The H9N2 subtype was isolated for the first time in Wisconsin, US in 1966 from turkey flocks.
✓ According to the US National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), H9N2 viruses are found
worldwide in wild birds and are endemic in poultry in many areas.
✓ H9N2 virus infections in humans are rare, but likely under-reported due to typically mild symptoms of
the infections
16. Swine flu
Caused by Swine Flu – H1N1, H3N2V
Spread by Contact through Pigs
Symptoms Fever, lethargy, difficulty in breathing, sneezing, coughing
Diagnosis Real time PCR
Vaccine Available Yes
Additional In Severe cases it can lead to death

Information
In 2009, Swine flu was declared as pandemic by the WHO

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Diseases and Vaccines

Diseases and vaccines

4. Antibiotics and Anti-virals

Fig: Non Communicable Diseases

There are 4 types of microbes that cause disease;

Virus Viroid Prion

Diseases caused by virus

COVID-19 Lungs and SARS Cov-2 Virus Fever, difficulty in

DISEASES CAUSED BY BACTERIA:

Whooping cough Respiratory system Hemophilis pertusis Continu-ous coughing

DISEASES CAUSED BY WORMS (helminths):

Fig: Organs and Tissues of Immune System

Fig: Types of Immunity

Fig: Working of Vaccines

These are categorised into 3 generations:

I. First Generation Vaccines-

✓ These vaccines consist of infectious organisms, either in mild or dead form.

II. Second Generation Vaccines- (Sub Unit Vaccines)

Fig: Types of Vaccines

Production of Modern Vaccine:

Fig: Production of Hepatitis B Vaccine

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR)- WHO DEFINITION

Fig: Anti biotic resistance

Difference between antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance

Mission Indradanush- 2014

Intensified Mission Indradanush(IMI)

National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination (2017-22)

Caused by SARS CoV-2

Spread by Inconclusive – (Bats, sea food, etc.)

Symptoms Cough, fever, severe pneumonia

Additional WHO declared it as pandemic

Caused by Orthohanta virus

Spread by Urine, droppings, saliva of rodents

Symptoms hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

Diagnosis RT- PCR

Vaccine Yes- Hanta Virus Vaccine

Additional The virus does not spread from person-to-person.

3. Kyasanur forest disease (KFD)

Caused by kyasanur forest disease virus (KFDV).

Spread by Rodents, shrews and monkeys through virus infected ticks

Symptoms Fever and headache, Sever muscle pain with vomiting,

Diagnosis PCR Test

Fig: Kyasanur Forest Disease

Zoonosis (as defined by WHO)

Caused by Yellow fever virus

Spread by Aedes aegypti Mosquitos

Diagnosis ELISA test

Additional Eyes turn yellow , so the name yellow fever

Caused by Influenza viruses H1N1 and H3N2

Symptoms Fever, lethargy, difficulty in breathing

Diagnosis Real time PCR

Vaccine Available Yes

6. CANINE DISTEMPER VIRUS (CDV)

Caused by CDV Virus

Diagnosis PCR and ELISA tets

Additional CDV is considered dangerous virus and is blamed for wiping

Caused by Rota virus

Spread by Water contamination- Faecal-oral route, contact with contaminated

Diagnosis Stool test

Vaccine Yes- Rota Virus Vaccine

Caused by Zika Virus (Flaviviridae Virus group)

Spread by Ades agyepti Mosquitos

Diagnosis RT- PCR