Communicable Diseases Introduction to Healthcare AHS 104 Communicable

Communicable Diseases Introduction to Healthcare AHS 104

Communicable Disease l A disease that can be transmitted directly or indirectly from one person to another. ¡ ¡ Incubation Period: Time between the invasion by the pathogen and the onset of symptoms. Prodromal Period: Refers to the initial stage of a disease: interval between earliest symptoms & appearance of rash or fever. l l Frequently children/people are contagious during this period. Symptoms are not specific. Individual may attend work/school and spread disease.

Communicable Disease l Fomite- Any material that absorbs and transmits infection. l Chain of Infection-Refers to way in which organism is spread and infects individuals. ¡ Preventing spread of infection depends on breaking the chain. ¡ Careful hand washing is essential to the containment of infection.

Factors contributing to virulence of infectious disease Factors that make one susceptible to acquiring a disease l Age l Sex l Genetic Makeup l Nutritional Status l Physical/Emotional Health l Immune System l Underlying Conditions

Immunity Natural or acquired resistance to infection l Race: Some have greater immunity to certain diseases. l Immunity varies from person to person. l If a person is immune to one disease they are not necessarily immune to another. l

Immunity l Acquired Immunity ¡ ¡ Is not due to inherited factors. BUT… Is acquired as a result of having the disease or artificially acquired by vaccines or immune serums. l Vaccines are not strong enough to cause the disease, but stimulates the body to develop an immune reaction. Video One Video Two

Immunity If immediate protection is needed, antibodies are obtained from other sources (animals and some humans). l Live or dead organisms may be used. l ¡ ¡ This type of immunity is called Passive Immunity. It acts immediately, but does not last long as immunity that the body actively produces. Breast feeding provides passive immunity to an infant from his/her mother’s antibodies that are passed to it in mother’s breast milk.

Common Communicable Diseases l l l l Scabies Lice MRSA VRE Chicken Pox German Measles Herpes Viruses ¡ ¡ ¡ Cold Sores Fever Blisters Genital Herpes l l l l l Infectious Mononucleosis Lyme Disease Measles (Rubeola) Meningitis Mumps Poliomyelitis Roseola Smallpox Strep Throat Whooping Cough

Online Learning Assignment l Online Assignment ¡ Quiz Grade ¡ www. teacherpage. com/adeyemi l Take Home Quiz ¡ This will help you significantly for your test!