infectious diseases ˚ ༘ ⋆

• An infectious disease is a transmissible disease that can be spread from one person to another
• Pathogens are disease-causing organisms such as bacteria and virus
• Virus:

  • An organism with a protein coat enclosing its genetic material and reproduces only in living host cells
• Bacteria:

  • An organism with a cell wall and DNA without a nucleus
  • Some bacteria are pathogenic and some are non-pathogenic
• A sign of a disease can be observed or measured. Examples are rashes, fever, coughing or vomiting
• A symptom of a disease can be described or felt by the patient

  • Examples of symptoms are headaches, fatigue and nausea
• A vaccine is an agent that resembles a pathogen and prevents infectious diseases by stimulating white blood cells to quickly produce antibodies when the pathogen invades
• Antibiotics are drugs used to treat bacterial or fungal infections
• Modes of transmission: air, direct contact with an infected person/surface, ingestion of contaminated food & water, vector transmits from one person to another