I Apinaya Amuthalingham I BTEC Applied Science I Biology I Unit 12 I Diseases and Infections I
Learning Aim B I Preventing Transmission Of Infectious Diseases I
How Are Infectious Diseases Transmitted?
Direct Contact:-
Some infections could be spread through direct contact with the infected area of a host’s body or infectious
agents from a host via contaminated objects or surfaces. This is the most common cross-transmission of
infections between humans. It can be spread through physical contact with body fluids or blood. Infectious
diseases are commonly spread through pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, or other germs. This can only
happen through direct skin-to-skin contact, body fluids, droplet transmission, or sexual intercourse.
By coming into direct contact with an infected animal, animals can directly transmit infectious diseases to
humans; this is known as a zoonotic disease. An example is rabies. This is caused by pathogens,
infectious agents that can be transmitted through droplet transmission, body fluids, animal waste products,
or mucus. This also includes skin-to-skin contact, scratches, and bites. People living in wilderness areas or
semi-urban areas have an increased chance of getting a zoonotic disease from wild animals. This is due to
the destruction of natural habitats and the expansion of cities, which may increase the likelihood of direct
contact between wild animals and humans.
Indirect Contact:-
Infectious diseases will be transmitted through indirect contacts, such as droplet transmission or airborne
transmission. Droplet transmission can take place if there’s close contact between infected secretions and
saliva or respiratory secretions, for example, through an infected host’s coughs, sneezes, or spit. Airborne
transmission can be spread through aerosolized droplet nuclei.
Vector transmission is another option. Vectors are living organisms that spread infectious pathogens from
infected animals to humans and other animals. They are frequently transmitted through arthropods.
Mosquitoes, ticks, flies, fleas, and lice are just a few examples. Vectors can actively or passively transmit
infectious diseases:-
- Biological Vectors: Mosquitoes and ticks may carry pathogens that multiply within their bodies and
spread to new hosts. This can be caused by biting.
- Mechanical Vectors: Flies can pick up infectious pathogens on the outside of the host’s bodies and
transmit viral agents through physical contact.
Infectious diseases can be transmitted to hosts indirectly via contaminated food, water, vectors,
environmental factors, or infected animals. Pathogens such as viruses, parasites, bacteria, and fungi can
cause these infectious diseases. Water-borne illnesses, or food poisoning, for example, are typically
caused by eating or drinking food and beverages. Infectious organisms are transmitted via the feces of
infected animals or humans.
Microbes have the potential to contaminate food and water. It is possible to spread it from one food to
another by using the same unwashed kitchen utensils between cooking sessions. If cooked food comes
into contact with raw food ingredients containing infectious pathogens, it can become re-contaminated.
Animals can indirectly transmit infectious diseases from contaminated surface areas. through animals’
habitats, animals roaming around, or objects that are already contaminated with germs or microorganisms.
For example, through plants, soils, pet food, pet habitats, barns, and other facts Zoonotic diseases can
spread to humans through any contact point with agricultural, wild, or domestic animals. For example,
marketplaces selling meat or by-products have a higher risk due to the unidentifiable pathogens in the wild
animal population. Furthermore, agricultural workers in areas that have a high use of antibiotics for farm
animals run the risk of developing drug-resistant pathogens to recent antimicrobial drugs. Therefore, people
living in wilderness areas and semi-urban areas have a higher risk of contracting diseases from animals.
How Can Infectious Disease Spread Be Prevented?
1
, Methods of prevention aid in slowing or stopping the spread of infectious diseases. So, there’s a lower risk
of getting infectious diseases and becoming more immune to pathogens. Prophylaxis, personal protective
equipment (PPE), behaviors, environmental isolation or quarantine, and vaccination are some of the
preventive measures that could help slow the spread of infectious diseases. Other preventative treatments
are available, but they are mostly used to identify unknown infections or pathogens.
Prophylaxis:-
Action or treatment to prevent the spread of diseases that can affect pathogens that have been transmitted
to the host. The likelihood of helping to prevent illnesses or diseases or detect diseases at an earlier stage
before treatment increases, so the treatment is more effective for milder characteristics or symptoms. This
is called prophylaxis or preventative healthcare.
This is an effective method as it prevents diseases from transmitting and spreading. This is due to the fact
that preventative health care helps to reduce the higher risks or severe stages of infectious diseases while
also killing the pathogens that cause the infectious diseases. For example, antiviral drugs help fight against
bacterial infections, and antibiotics are used to prevent bacterial infections. This works by killing the
pathogenic bacterial infection and preventing it from spreading throughout the entire body of the host.
The benefits of prophylaxis are that it can help increase the likelihood of having regular health checkups.
These are the benefits of prophylaxis: -
- Longer Lifespan.
- Reduces dangers and health issues.
- Diseases are being detected earlier.
- Vaccination for the prevention of infections or infectious diseases.
- Disease Management Is Less Expensive.
These are the advantages of prophylaxis, and they imply that it is a preventative measure that helps people
stay on top of their health. This suggests patients should have regular health checkups to encourage a
healthier lifestyle and decrease the need for diagnostic services.
However, the disadvantages of prophylaxis are that it:-
- Lack of awareness: People are unaware of its benefits and its concept.
- Multiple health benefit options: Provided for people but indecisively confusing because they don’t
know what option is best for them.
- Immediate costs: In preventative healthcare, there are certain costs for certain diagnostic tests
(e.g.Health Screenings).
- Limited Accessibility to Services: Prophylaxis isn’t accessible to everyone as there’s limited
service provided to address health problems.
- Dependent on curative care: To conduct diagnostic tests or screenings prophylaxis is still
dependent on healthcare centres to provide those services and equipment to conduct preventative
healthcare.
- Difficulty in accepting prophylaxis: Some patients have difficulties in accepting the existence of
preventative healthcare even if they are healthy and show no characteristic traits or symptoms of
infectious diseases.
These are the disadvantages of prophylaxis, as it is still a new preventative method to stop infectious or
non-infectious diseases from spreading and severely increase the cost and benefits of health.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):-
2
Learning Aim B I Preventing Transmission Of Infectious Diseases I
How Are Infectious Diseases Transmitted?
Direct Contact:-
Some infections could be spread through direct contact with the infected area of a host’s body or infectious
agents from a host via contaminated objects or surfaces. This is the most common cross-transmission of
infections between humans. It can be spread through physical contact with body fluids or blood. Infectious
diseases are commonly spread through pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, or other germs. This can only
happen through direct skin-to-skin contact, body fluids, droplet transmission, or sexual intercourse.
By coming into direct contact with an infected animal, animals can directly transmit infectious diseases to
humans; this is known as a zoonotic disease. An example is rabies. This is caused by pathogens,
infectious agents that can be transmitted through droplet transmission, body fluids, animal waste products,
or mucus. This also includes skin-to-skin contact, scratches, and bites. People living in wilderness areas or
semi-urban areas have an increased chance of getting a zoonotic disease from wild animals. This is due to
the destruction of natural habitats and the expansion of cities, which may increase the likelihood of direct
contact between wild animals and humans.
Indirect Contact:-
Infectious diseases will be transmitted through indirect contacts, such as droplet transmission or airborne
transmission. Droplet transmission can take place if there’s close contact between infected secretions and
saliva or respiratory secretions, for example, through an infected host’s coughs, sneezes, or spit. Airborne
transmission can be spread through aerosolized droplet nuclei.
Vector transmission is another option. Vectors are living organisms that spread infectious pathogens from
infected animals to humans and other animals. They are frequently transmitted through arthropods.
Mosquitoes, ticks, flies, fleas, and lice are just a few examples. Vectors can actively or passively transmit
infectious diseases:-
- Biological Vectors: Mosquitoes and ticks may carry pathogens that multiply within their bodies and
spread to new hosts. This can be caused by biting.
- Mechanical Vectors: Flies can pick up infectious pathogens on the outside of the host’s bodies and
transmit viral agents through physical contact.
Infectious diseases can be transmitted to hosts indirectly via contaminated food, water, vectors,
environmental factors, or infected animals. Pathogens such as viruses, parasites, bacteria, and fungi can
cause these infectious diseases. Water-borne illnesses, or food poisoning, for example, are typically
caused by eating or drinking food and beverages. Infectious organisms are transmitted via the feces of
infected animals or humans.
Microbes have the potential to contaminate food and water. It is possible to spread it from one food to
another by using the same unwashed kitchen utensils between cooking sessions. If cooked food comes
into contact with raw food ingredients containing infectious pathogens, it can become re-contaminated.
Animals can indirectly transmit infectious diseases from contaminated surface areas. through animals’
habitats, animals roaming around, or objects that are already contaminated with germs or microorganisms.
For example, through plants, soils, pet food, pet habitats, barns, and other facts Zoonotic diseases can
spread to humans through any contact point with agricultural, wild, or domestic animals. For example,
marketplaces selling meat or by-products have a higher risk due to the unidentifiable pathogens in the wild
animal population. Furthermore, agricultural workers in areas that have a high use of antibiotics for farm
animals run the risk of developing drug-resistant pathogens to recent antimicrobial drugs. Therefore, people
living in wilderness areas and semi-urban areas have a higher risk of contracting diseases from animals.
How Can Infectious Disease Spread Be Prevented?
1
, Methods of prevention aid in slowing or stopping the spread of infectious diseases. So, there’s a lower risk
of getting infectious diseases and becoming more immune to pathogens. Prophylaxis, personal protective
equipment (PPE), behaviors, environmental isolation or quarantine, and vaccination are some of the
preventive measures that could help slow the spread of infectious diseases. Other preventative treatments
are available, but they are mostly used to identify unknown infections or pathogens.
Prophylaxis:-
Action or treatment to prevent the spread of diseases that can affect pathogens that have been transmitted
to the host. The likelihood of helping to prevent illnesses or diseases or detect diseases at an earlier stage
before treatment increases, so the treatment is more effective for milder characteristics or symptoms. This
is called prophylaxis or preventative healthcare.
This is an effective method as it prevents diseases from transmitting and spreading. This is due to the fact
that preventative health care helps to reduce the higher risks or severe stages of infectious diseases while
also killing the pathogens that cause the infectious diseases. For example, antiviral drugs help fight against
bacterial infections, and antibiotics are used to prevent bacterial infections. This works by killing the
pathogenic bacterial infection and preventing it from spreading throughout the entire body of the host.
The benefits of prophylaxis are that it can help increase the likelihood of having regular health checkups.
These are the benefits of prophylaxis: -
- Longer Lifespan.
- Reduces dangers and health issues.
- Diseases are being detected earlier.
- Vaccination for the prevention of infections or infectious diseases.
- Disease Management Is Less Expensive.
These are the advantages of prophylaxis, and they imply that it is a preventative measure that helps people
stay on top of their health. This suggests patients should have regular health checkups to encourage a
healthier lifestyle and decrease the need for diagnostic services.
However, the disadvantages of prophylaxis are that it:-
- Lack of awareness: People are unaware of its benefits and its concept.
- Multiple health benefit options: Provided for people but indecisively confusing because they don’t
know what option is best for them.
- Immediate costs: In preventative healthcare, there are certain costs for certain diagnostic tests
(e.g.Health Screenings).
- Limited Accessibility to Services: Prophylaxis isn’t accessible to everyone as there’s limited
service provided to address health problems.
- Dependent on curative care: To conduct diagnostic tests or screenings prophylaxis is still
dependent on healthcare centres to provide those services and equipment to conduct preventative
healthcare.
- Difficulty in accepting prophylaxis: Some patients have difficulties in accepting the existence of
preventative healthcare even if they are healthy and show no characteristic traits or symptoms of
infectious diseases.
These are the disadvantages of prophylaxis, as it is still a new preventative method to stop infectious or
non-infectious diseases from spreading and severely increase the cost and benefits of health.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):-
2
