WEEK 8 AND 9 :PATHOGENS, DISEASES AND THEIR PREVENTIONS

TOPIC : PATHOGENS, DISEASES AND THEIR PREVENTIONS

Pathogens are micro-organisms that are capable of causing infectious diseases in the body. Disease means illness of the body or a general disorder of the body and mind.

Example of pathogens are bacteria, fungi, viruses Rickettsiae, worms, protozoa.

Pathogenic diseases are diseases caused by these micro-organisms.

The disease malaria is caused by plasmodium, measles is caused by morbilli virus. Gonorrhea is caused by gonococcus bacteria, sleeping sickness is caused by Trypasomomia, Typhus fever, is caused by Rickettsia bacteria.

Pathogens are found in the air, water, soil, dust, animals, food and so on. They are to be avoided.

Communicable diseases are those diseases that can be spread from one person to another. It is cause by the entry of germs (pathogens) into the body.

CLASSIFICATION OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE

 Communicable disease can be classified into four categories.

1. Air Borne Diseases

1. Common cold
2. Diphtheria
3. Influenza
4. Measles
5. Pneumomia    
6. Tuberculosis
7. Whooping cough etc. 

2. Food And Water Borne Diseases

1. Cholera    2.Diarrhoea      3.Dysentry       4. Hepatitis     

6. Worms     7. Salmonella (food poisoning)  8. Poliomyelitis   

3. Insect/Vector Borne Diseases

1. Malaria     2. Sleeping sickness        (Trypanosomiasis) 3.Yellow fever 4.lassa fever     5. Rabies  6. Filariasis      7. Scabies (craw craw) 

4.  Contact Diseases (Contagious)

1. Gonorrhea       2. Leprosy                3. Ring worm   4. Syphilis

5. AIDS        6. Scabies                7. Candidacies

Prevention of Communicable Disease

These are general preventive measures against communicable disease

1. Adequate nutrition: Eating a balance diet will help the body to build immune system which will fight against diseases.
2. Personal hygiene: cleanliness of the body, hands, legs, teeth, hair and fingernails is very important, do not use another person’s clothing, under-wears, handkerchief, towels, blade, tooth brush, clippers etc
3. Environmental Sanitation: keeping the immediate surrounding clean and tidy will prevent flies, mosquitoes, harmful insects and snakes and there will be no contamination of food and drink
4. The use of potable and safe water: Drink only clean water and do not urinate into or around drinking water
5. Prompt and routine medical check- up and treatment: Going for medical check-up regularly helps. There should be no self-medication
6. Immunization: Every child should be immunized according to the specified time and age. This help to prevent childhood killer diseases.
7. Ventilation: living in a well ventilated apartment helps to prevent disease.
8. Health Education: Reading of books, Journals and other materials that provide information on how to live in good health helps.