Infectious Disease Defined

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Infectious Diseases are defined as:
Infectious Disease Defined
“Disorders caused by organisms,
such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or
parasites …which can be passed
from person to person. Some are
transmitted by insect or animal bites
while others are passed by ingesting
contaminated food or water or being
exposed to organisms in the
environment.”

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 Infectious Diseases
Top 10 Diseases
1. HIV/AIDS
2. Ebola
3. SARs-Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
4. Malaria
5. Anthrax
6. Cholera
7. Bubonic Plague
8. Influenza
9. Typhoid fever
10. Smallpox

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 TOP TEN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AS OF
DECEMBER 2020 -WHO
 10: Monkeypox — 4,500+ cases, Democratic Republic of Congo
 An ongoing outbreak of Monkeypox has persisted well throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 9: Lassa Fever — 5,500+ cases, Nigeria
 Lassa Fever is the most common cause of acquired deafness in West Africa. The virus is contracted from African rodents and
their secretions, or from contact with infected patients. Illness is characterized by fever, pharyngitis, headache, chest pain,
and diarrhea, frequently accompanied by a permanent loss of hearing.
 8: Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (Enterovirus Infection) — 6,000+ cases, Vietnam
 Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is highly contagious and common in young children. The most common causes are
Coxsackievirus A16 and Enterovirus 71, and the condition is often associated with viral meningitis and encephalitis. 
 TOP TEN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AS OF DECEMBER 2020
-WHO
 7: Zika virus — 6,000+ cases, Brazil
 Zika virus is primarily acquired from mosquitos but can also be transmitted sexually. Illness
is characterized by fever, rash, joint pain, and headache. The disease is particularly risky for
pregnant women as it may lead to fetal death or microcephaly in the newborn infant.
 6: Hepatitis A — 32,000+ cases, United States
 Hepatitis A, largely under control in the United States until three years ago, can be easily
prevented through the use of a safe and effective vaccine. Sadly, the number of reported cases
has taken a dramatic up-turn during the current COVID-19 pandemic.         
 5: Chikungunya — 93,000+ cases, Worldwide
 This year, Chikungunya outbreaks have been recorded in Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Kenya,
Malaysia, and Thailand.
 TOP TEN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AS OF DECEMBER 2020 -WHO

 4: Measles — 124,000+ cases worldwide

 Although Measles vaccines have been available and effective for many years, the World
Health Organization (WHO) reports that global vaccination levels had reached only 61
percent in 2015. Not surprisingly, in 2020, Measles outbreaks have already been reported in
26 countries. 
 3: Dengue — more than 2.5 million cases worldwide
 Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease that causes a distinctive skin rash, high fever,
headaches, vomiting, and pains in the muscles and joints. The disease has been widespread
since WWII and common throughout Asia and South America, with an average of 390
million infections and 40,000 deaths each year.
 2: Cholera – more than 2.5 million cases worldwide
 TOP TEN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AS OF DECEMBER 2020 -WHO

 1: COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) — more than 37 million cases

worldwide
 SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been at the
forefront of mainstream media and medical journals throughout 2020.
The pandemic has now reached more than 37 million cases worldwide,
leading to more than one million deaths. The United States has been
one of the worst-hit countries, with nearly eight million reported cases
to-date.
 Infectious Disease
 Disrupts normal body function (homeostasis)
 Caused by a pathogen.
 Pathogen: anything that invades your body & causes a disease
 Ex: bacteria, protozoan, fungi, viruses, parasites, worms
 It can be contagious = infectious
Endemic: ”Constant presence of a disease or infectious agent within a
Spreadarea.
given geographic of Disease
The usually prevalence of a given disease within
such an area.”

Epidemic: “Occurrence in a community or region of cases of an illness

or outbreak clearly in excess of expectancy.”

Pandemic: ”Occurring over a wide geographic area and affecting an

exceptionally high proportion of the population, i.e. malaria.”

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Disease Transmission
 People may carry a disease without even knowing it.
 Can be spread during the incubation period (before symptoms occur)
 Transmission by:
 1. Direct contact
 Kissing
 2. Indirect contact-through the air
 coughing & sneezing
 3. Contact with object
 sharing drinks, door knobs, desks
 4. Infected animals
 Vector transmits disease
 Ex: mosquito

 5. Contaminated food or water

 food poisoning
 Bacteria
 Bacteria: prokaryote cells (no nucleus, no membrane-
bound organelles)
 Most bacteria are helpful or harmless
 A few are pathogens; they release toxins in our bodies
 streptococcus (strep throat), staphylococcus (staph infection)
 Most bacterial pathogens are fought by the immune system or
can be treated with ANTIBIOTICS
 Human Exposure
Four (4) categories of concern related to exposures of humans:

1. BACTERIA
2. RICKETTSIA
3. TOXINS
4. VIRUSES

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Human Exposure

This program will focus on those infectious diseases caused by:

Bacterial Agents:
Anthrax and
Plague

Viral Agents:
Ebola and
Smallpox

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 Bacteria

A single-celled organism. “Under certain circumstances some can

transform into spores.”
The disease causing method can occur in one of two ways:

1. Invading host tissues, and

2. Producing poisons (toxins)

Certain bacterium, like E. coli, can be present in uncooked foods.

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 Fungi
 most are harmless
 attack moist areas, like the skin, scalp, mouth &
throat
 ex: ringworms & athlete’s foot
 Antibiotic Resistance

 Currently, many bacteria are becoming

resistant to antibiotics
 This is because of antibiotics being over
prescribed
 (often for viral infections, which they have no
effect on)
 Viruses
 Virus: a NONLIVING protein coat surrounding
either DNA or RNA
 Viruses are NON-LIVING:
 Do not grow or develop
 Do not obtain or use energy
 Do not respond to environment
 Virus

Smaller than bacteria, a virus is able to cause diseases ranging from the common cold to AIDS.

“Usually consist of a protein coat with genetic material (either RNA or DNA). These are intracellular parasites and lack a
system for their own metabolism; they are dependent on the synthetic machinery of their host cells.”

“Every virus requires its own special type of host cell for multiplication.”

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A cardinal sign is a major symptom that healthcare providers
utilize to make a diagnosis. In the case of inflammation, there are
five cardinal signs that characterize the condition: pain, heat,
redness, swelling, and loss of function.

Interestingly, inflammation is a biological process that your body

uses in response to infection. It is important to note, however,
that not all five cardinal signs are present in every instance of
inflammation. Moreover, the inflammatory process could be
silent and not cause noticeable symptoms.
What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is a complex process involving a variety of cell
and signaling proteins that protect the body from infection and
foreign substances, such as bacteria and viruses. Inflammation
helps the body by producing white blood cells and other
substances.

Sometimes, the immune system triggers an inflammatory

response inappropriately. This is the case with autoimmune
diseases. The body compensates by attacking its own healthy
tissues, acting as if they are infected or abnormal.
When the inflammation process starts, chemicals in white blood cells
are released into the blood and the affected tissues to protect the body.
The chemicals increase blood flow to the infected or injured body
areas, causing redness and warmth in those locations.

These chemicals may also cause leaking of fluids into tissues, resulting
in swelling. This protective process will also stimulate nerves and
tissues, causing pain.

Inflammation is classified as either acute or chronic. Acute

inflammation is short-term, while chronic inflammation is long-lasting
and even destructive.
Write a brief description of the disease
Clinical signs and symptoms
especially the
pathognomonic specific
characteristic or indicative of a
particular disease or condition.