UNIVERSITY OF RAPARYN

Mechanisms of infectious disease

Prepared by:
Danar dlshad , Muhammed husain
Hastyar khalid , Ahmad karym 2022-2023
Outlines:
Introduction.
Terminology.
Agents of infectious disease.
Mode of transmission ( Spread of infection ).
Normal microbial flora.
Opportunistic infections.
Nosocomial infection
Disease course ( Stages of infection ).
Outlines(cont):
Classification of infection.
Chain of infection.
How defenses against infection.
The establishment and outcome of infectious disease.
Pathogenesis.
Symptomatology.
Diagnosis and therapy of infectious diseases
Infections cause direct injury to the host through a variety of
mechanisms.
 Introduction
Infectious diseases are disorders that are caused by
organisms, usually microscopic in size, such as bacteria,
viruses, fungi, or parasites that are passed, directly or
indirectly, from one person to another.
The infectious disease agents range in size from 20 nm
(Poliovirus) to 10 m (Tapeworm).
Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death
worldwide.
The pathogenesis of infectious disease is dependent on
the relationship among the :

Human host
Infectious agent
External environment
 Terminology
The relationship between human being and microorganisms
are many as following:

Symbiosis: Benefits only the human; no harm to the microorganism

(lactobacillus in the vagina)
Mutualism: Benefits the human and the microorganism
(Escherichia coli in the gut)
 Terminology
Commensalism: Benefits only the microorganism; no harm to the
human.
(Staphylococcus epidermidis)
Pathogenicity: Benefits the microorganism; harms to the human.
(HIV)
Opportunism: A situation in which benign microorganisms become
pathogenic because of decreased human host resistance.
(Staphylococcus aureus & Neisseria meningitidis)
 Agents of infectious disease
The infectious agents can be either:
Exogenous: it is present in the environment ,outside of the host.

Endogenous: normally found on or in the body but does not cause

disease in the host.
Infection results when an exogenous agent is introduced into a host
from the environment (Meningitis) or when an endogenous agent
overcomes innate host immunity to cause disease (Bacterial vaginosis).
 Agents of infectious disease
The five main types of infectious agents are: 
Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi
Prions
(Protozoa)
(Parasitic worms)
Spread of Infection
• 1- (Droplet transmission) occurs when bacteria or viruses travel on
relatively large respiratory droplets that people sneeze, cough, drip, or
exhale.
• Many common infections can spread by droplet transmission in at
least some cases, including: Common cold, Fifth disease (erythema
infectiosum), Influenza, Meningitis, Mycoplasma, Mumps, Pertussis
(whooping cough), Plague, Rubella, Strep (strep throat, scarlet fever,
pneumonia).
• 2-(The fecal–oral route) describes a particular route of transmission of a
disease wherein pathogens in fecal particles pass from one person to the
mouth of another person.
• Examples of infectious diseases transmitted via this route include:
gastroenteritis, enteric fevers and Viral Hepatitis.
 Spread of Infection
• 3- (Water) The pathogenic organisms enter the host by contact either with
the mucosa or broken skin.
• e.g. shistosomiasis and Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi
bacteria transmitted via contaminated water and Cholera. It is mainly
caused by bacteria named Vibrio cholerae.
Spread of Infection
• 4-( Vector) This is commonly held to be inoculation by the bite of a
sucking arthropod e.g Malaria.
Spread of Infection
• 5-(inoculation) Inoculation can be accidental, for Example : rabies and
injection e.g. HIV, hepatitis B.
Spread of Infection
• 6-(aerosol): It has a similar action to that which occurs with droplet
transmission, Examples of diseases that are spread by this method
include: tuberculosis (TB) disease
Spread of Infection
• 7-(An airborne disorder) is any disease that is caused by a
microorganism that is transmitted through the air. There are many
airborne diseases that are of clinical importance and include bacteria,
viruses, and fungi.
• Infectious micro-organisms that can be spread in this way include:
measles, tuberculosis (TB),staphylococcal and streptococcal
infections.
Spread of Infection
• 8-( Soil) The route of entry from the soil into the body is usually by a
skin lesion.
• Examples of infectious diseases that can occur from soil include: In
addition to tetanus, anthrax, and botulism, soil bacteria may cause
gastrointestinal, wound, skin, and respiratory tract diseases.
Spread of Infection
• 9-(Direct contact) occurs through skin-to-skin contact, kissing, and
sexual intercourse.
• Direct contact also refers to contact with soil or vegetation harboring
infectious organisms.
• Thus, infectious mononucleosis (“kissing disease”) and gonorrhea are
spread from person to person by direct contact.
• viral respiratory tract diseases (e.g. the common cold, influenza),
staphylococcal infections (e.g. septicemia), hepatitis A, measles,
scarlet fever.
Clinical manifestations of infectious diseases:
• Clinical manifestations of infectious disease vary, depending on the
pathogen, the organ system affected, and the severity.
• general symptomatic e.s of fatigue, malaise, weakness, and loss of
concentration.
• Generalized aching and loss of appetite are common complaints and
Diarrhea and Coughing, Fever.
Normal microbial flora:
• Normal flora or commensals : defined as organisms that live
symbiotically on or within the human host but rarely cause disease e.g.
streptococci in oropharynx.
• Commensalism benefits only microorganism ,no harm to the human.
Opportunistic Infections
• Opportunistic Infections are caused by a variety of germs (viruses,
bacteria, fungi, and parasites).
• These germs spread in different ways, such as in the air, in body
fluids, or in contaminated food or water.
• They can cause health problems when a person's immune system is
weakened.
• Examples are Candida albicans (an opportunistic agent of oral and
genital infections in humans), Staphylococcus aureus (normal flora on
human skin but may cause infections)
Nosocomial infections
• Nosocomial infections, also called health-care-associated or hospital-
acquired infections, are a subset of infectious diseases acquired in a
health-care facility.
• To be considered nosocomial, the infection cannot be present at
admission; rather, it must develop at least 48 hours after admission.
• These infections can lead to serious problems like sepsis and even
death.
Stages of the infectious disease
• Incubation
• The incubation stage includes the time from exposure to an infectious
agent until the onset of symptoms.
• Viral or bacterial particles replicate during the incubation stage.
•The exact time frame of the incubation stage varies depending on the
infection.(The flu virus incubates for 1–4 days, but symptoms can
appear as early as 2 days after the virus enters the body.)
Stages of the infectious disease
• Prodromal
•The prodromal stage refers to the period after incubation and before the
characteristic symptoms of infection occur.
•People can also transmit infections during the prodromal stage.
•During this stage, the infectious agent continues replicating, which
triggers the body’s immune response and mild, nonspecific symptoms.
Stages of the infectious disease
•These symptoms can include:
•Low-grade fever , Fatigue
• The duration of the prodromal stage varies depending on the type of
infection.
• For example, the flu has a short incubation period of about 2
days.
Stages of the infectious disease
•

•The third stage of infection is an illness or clinical disease.

•This stage includes the time when a person shows apparent symptoms of
an infectious disease.
In general, people who have an active infection may experience:
•Fever
•Fatigue
•Headache
•Muscle aches
•Swollen lymph nodes
Stages of the infectious disease
• Decline
•During the decline stage, the immune system mounts a successful
defence against the pathogens, and the number of infectious particles
decreases.
•Symptoms will gradually improve. 
•However, a person can develop secondary infections during this stage
if the primary infection has weakened their immune system.
•During this stage, the virus can still transmit to other people.
Stages of the infectious disease
• Convalescence
•The final stage of infection is known as convalescence. 
•During this stage, symptoms resolve, and a person can return to their
normal functions.
•Depending on the severity of the infection, some people may have
permanent damage even after the infection resolves.