Week 3 Discussion - Disease Transmission

Disorders caused by organisms, or infectious disease, are often harmless. Caused by bacteria, fungi,
parasites, and virus and under particular circumstances they become quite the opposite and potentially life
threating. Infectious diseases are generally of one of four categories; food and water born, person to
person, exposure, and animal/ insect transmission. While vaccines can prevent a portion of them, in many
cases the greatest deterrent is good personal hygiene.
Modes of Contact
Person to person contact is common, and directly transfers contaminants from one to another, such as
sneezing, kissing, or shaking hands. However, this also includes body fluids from sexual contact. Animal
or insect to person results from something as simple as a pet scratch or bite, and handling of waste.
Mother to (unborn) child is possible as some germs are able to pass through the placenta as well as
vaginal transmission at birth. Infectious diseases can also pass directly from object previously handled by
someone ill and can remain up to two hours. Touching a doorknob and then eyes, mouth, or nose before
washing hands are examples. In many cases by touching a surface youre effectively picking up what was
left behind before you. West Nile, Malaria, and Lyme are all examples of mosquito and tick carried
diseases that can be transmitted to a host. Food and water contamination can allow germs to spread to
people. E. coli (I still love you, Chipotle) and Listeria (Dole premade salads) are current health concerns
in the news. Food borne diseases are common among travelers due to varying and unknown levels of
safety practices. These diseases are often present due to undercooked, unpasteurized, and unclean food
sources.
Transmission is even more likely to those with suppressed immune systems, taking certain medications
such as steroids and anti-rejection drugs, HIV/AIDS, cancers, elderly, malnourished, or predisposed to
infection.
Discovery, Diagnosis, and Treatment
While there is a wide variety of associated symptoms across the even wider assortment of infectious
disease body fluid samples often are used in diagnosis. Blood tests, urine tests, throat swabs, stool
samples, spinal taps are all examples commonly used to search for microbes. In some cases, organ or
tissue biopsies are used, such as in pneumonia fungi discovery.
Antibiotic families are commonly used for bacterial infections. The particular bacteria are important as
they respond differently or are resistant to certain treatments, as well as have no effect on viral illness.
Antibiotic overuse and abuse has resulted in difficulty of treatment and further resistances. In the case of a
virus antivirals are effective. Antifungals are often intravenously used for infections that affect mucus
membranes and lungs. Anti-parasitic medications are used, such as with malaria. Also of note due to the
growing popularity, herbal remedies are being used to various degrees of success, though in many cases
either with negative or inconclusive results.
Awareness
Understanding not only how disease spreads but how you can protect yourself is crucial. There is no
shortage of support to hand washing and signage is literally everywhere- yet its not done as often as you
might expect or need. Hygiene is a huge deterrent, but again, is often ignored or neglected. While
awareness and education are vital, initiative and accountability are just as important. In some cases, such
as health workers, personal protective equipment (PPE) is required. In many cases those who are at risk
expect seem content to allow their health and wellbeing in someones else hands. Until people are willing

to take charge of their own health all of the signs, commercials, and public announcements arent going to
change a thing.
Resources