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A contagious disease is an infectious disease that can be spread rapidly in several ways, including direct contact, indirect contact, and Droplet contact. [1] These diseases are caused by organisms such as parasites, Bacteria, Fungi, and viruses. While many types of organisms live on the human body and are usually harmless, these organisms can ...
A representation of the cholera epidemic of the 19th century. For thousands of years mankind has been intrigued with the causes of disease and the concept of immunity. The prehistoric view was that disease was caused by supernatural forces, and that illness was a form of theurgic punishment for "bad deeds" or "evil thoughts" visited upon the soul by the gods or by one's enemies. [8]
One of the ways to prevent or slow down the transmission of infectious diseases is to recognize the different characteristics of various diseases. [69] Some critical disease characteristics that should be evaluated include virulence , distance traveled by those affected, and level of contagiousness.
An infectious disease agent can be transmitted in two ways: as horizontal disease agent transmission from one individual to another in the same generation (peers in the same age group) [3] by either direct contact (licking, touching, biting), or indirect contact through air – cough or sneeze (vectors or fomites that allow the transmission of the agent causing the disease without physical ...
Seniors are generally at higher risk for complications and death from pneumonia due to weakened immune systems. However, risk factors vary from person to person. If you suspect your elderly loved ...
A zoonosis (/ z oʊ ˈ ɒ n ə s ɪ s, ˌ z oʊ ə ˈ n oʊ s ɪ s / ⓘ; [1] pl.: zoonoses) or zoonotic disease is an infectious disease of humans caused by a pathogen (an infectious agent, such as a bacterium, virus, parasite, or prion) that can jump from a non-human vertebrate to a human. When humans infect non-humans, it is called reverse ...
No one has spread it to another person, so far. However, viruses are constantly mutating, so officials worry changes to bird flu can make it more transmissible or cause more severe illness.
Direct-contact transmission also can occur between two patients, with one serving as the source of the infectious microorganisms and the other as a susceptible host. Indirect-contact transmission This involves contact of a susceptible host with a contaminated intermediate object, usually inanimate, such as contaminated instruments, needles , or ...