A disease can be defined as a disorder or malfunction of the
mind or body which leads to departure from good health.
The causes of diseases are diverse and may include::
- Pathogens: Such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites
- Genetic mutation
- Environmental factors
- Social well-being
Types of diseases
Diseases can be categorized:
based on the reasons or causes: [infectious and
non-infectious diseases] and
according to duration: [acute and chronic
diseases]
1. Causes:
• Infectious diseases:
Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms such as[bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites].
Most common examples include:
Tuberculosis [TB] is a bacterial infection caused by mycobacterium,it lasts for six months.
Measles is a serious viral disease that mostly affects young children and it is caused by measles virus.
Ringworms is a common fungal infection of the skin or hair and caused group of fungi called dermatophytes.
Malaria is caused by plasmodium parasites, transmitted through the bites of anopheles mosquitoes.
• Non-infectious diseases
Non-infectious diseases are not caused by pathogens and can’t be transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person.
Mostly non-infectious diseases caused by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
Most common examples include:
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic blood disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the HBB gene where red blood cells are unable to carry enough oxygen.
Cancer: uncontrolled cell growth due to environmental exposures or genetic mutations.
Cardiovascular diseases are often caused by lifestyle factors like diet and exercise.
2. Duration:
• Acute diseases
Acute Disease is a disease that lasts for only a short
period, but can begin rapidly and has intense symptoms. It can be mild, severe,
or even fatal.
Most common examples include:
Influenza [flue]: is a fetal respiratory disease,it
usually lasts for one to two weeks.
Common cold: is an infection of the upper respiratory
tract, it lasts within a few days to a week.
Covid-19 is a type of RNA virus that causes
respiratory disease, it lasts for 10 days.
• Chronic diseases:
Chronic diseases is a disease that lasts for a long
period of time; its symptoms are seen for months or more .
Most common examples include:
Diabetes mellitus: a metabolic disorder characterized
by high blood sugar level over a prolonged period.
Hypertension also known as high blood pressure [HBP]
is a long term medical condition in which the force of the blood against the
artery walls is persistently elevated,
HIV/AIDS[human immunodeficiency virus] is a virus that attracts the immune system of the body,it lasts over a prolonged period.
A disease can be either endemic, epidemic, or pandemic.
Endemic: is an infectious disease which is always
present in a certain geographic area, population or group of people.
The most common examples of endemic diseases include:
Malaria, Tuberculosis [TB], and Hepatitis.
Epidemic: Occurs when the infectious disease spreads
suddenly and rapidly to affect many people.
The epidemic is an outbreak of a certain disease that
attacks a human population at about the same time. The most common examples of
epidemic diseases include:
Cholera,Influenza,and Measles.
Pandemic: is a disease that spreads over a large area
( continent, the whole world ) . It's an outbreak of global populations (
spreads easily from person to person ).
The most common examples include:
AIDS, COVID-19 and TB
Portals of entry of infectious agents
A disease-causing organism can enter the human body at
different points such as:
- Mouth
- Nose
- Skin
- Sex
organs
- Trans
placental
1. The mouth: is the most common entry point on the
human body. the food-borne diseases and water-borne diseases are entered
through the mouth.
The examples of diseases that enter the body through the mouth:
- Cholera
- Typhoid
- Amoebic
dysentery
2. Nose: Mostly the air-borne disease
pathogens can enter the nose into the body. The examples of diseases that enter
the body through the nose:
- common
cold
- tuberculosis
- pneumonia
3. Skin: A mosquito can introduce parasites
through the skin and also larva forms of hookworms can pass through the skin. The
examples of diseases that enter the body through the skin:
- Ringworm
- Impetigo
- Cellulitis
4. Sex organs: Sexual organs are also the entry point
for STDs. The examples of diseases that enter the body through the sex organs:
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- AIDS
Trans placental: Some infectious diseases can pass
through the placenta from the mother to the child.
The examples of diseases that enter the body through the sex
organs:
- Toxoplasmosis
- Rubella
- Syphilis
General ways of prevention of diseases
Prevention of disease is more useful, better, and economical
than curing it.
Infectious diseases are infections transmitted from an
infected person or animal to another person or another animal.
These infections can be transmitted by direct or indirect
contact.
Studying how infectious diseases are spread can help
minimize the risk of infection.
It is possible to reduce sickness by adopting healthy
habits.
There are simple things you can do to prevent diseases.
·
Get your immunizations on time
·
Wash your hands frequently
·
Be conscious of what you eat
·
Be careful of the wild and domestic animals you
are unfamiliar with.
·
Avoid areas of insect infestation.
·
Avoid illegal sexual intercourse
·
Healthy lifestyle
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