Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease

• Communicable diseases


  Diseases that can be spread from person to person, e.g. measles
• Non-communicable diseases


  Diseases that cannot be passed from person to person, e.g. coronary heart disease
• Communicable diseases are spread by pathogens such as bacteria or viruses
• People with a defective immune system (e.g. HIV)

  Are much more likely to suffer from infectious diseases (e.g. TB)
• Infection with HPV (human papilloma virus)

  Can cause cervical cancer
• Infection with a pathogen


  Can trigger an allergy (e.g. asthma, dermatitis)
• Physical illness (e.g. arthritis)

  Can trigger a mental illness (e.g. depression)