Common Communicable Diseases Health Mr. Christman

Common Communicable Diseases Objectives: Explain the causes, transmission, symptoms, and treatment for several communicable diseases. Describe strategies to reduce the risk of contracting some communicable diseases.

Common Communicable Diseases In this lesson you will learn about some common communicable diseases, their symptoms, and how they are treated.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections The most common communicable diseases are those of the respiratory tract. These infections can occur anywhere from the nose to the alveoli of the lungs. Most are caused by viruses or bacteria.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections You can reduce the risk of most respiratory illnesses by avoiding close contact with people who are infected, washing your hands often, keeping your hands away from your eyes and nose, and keeping your immune system healthy.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Smoking can contribute to illness by damaging cilia and irritating respiratory passages. In addition, symptoms of these diseases may be more severe in smokers. Smoking also can suppress the immune system.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Common Respiratory Infections 1) Common Cold: a viral infection that causes inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the nose and throat

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Symptoms include a runny nose, sneezing, and sore throat.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Some common ways of getting a cold include rubbing your eyes or nose after picking up the virus directly through hand to hand contact or indirectly by handling a contaminated object. Colds can also be spread through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections There is no cure for the common cold and treatment is mainly for relief of the symptoms. Often treatment includes the use of aspirin and ibuprofen.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections 2) Influenza: a viral infection of the respiratory tract which is most often spread through airborne transmission but also may be spread through direct or indirect contact.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Symptoms of the flu include high fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, and cough

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Treatment for the flu include antiviral drugs, proper nutrition, plenty of rest, and lots of fluids. Also, flu shots are available for anyone who wants to avoid the illness.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections 3) Pneumonia: can be viral or bacterial Pneumonia is one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Viral pneumonia is relatively short-lived and produces symptoms similar to those of influenza. In most cases, antiviral drugs are used to treat it.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics. The bacteria that cause pneumonia are always present in healthy throats. When the body defenses are weakened in some way, the bacteria can move into the lungs and multiply.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections 4) Strep Throat: a bacterial infection spread by direct contact

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Symptoms include a sore throat, fever, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. If untreated, strep throat can lead to serious complications such as inflammation of the kidneys and rheumatic fever, which can cause heart damage.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Strep throat can be treated with antibiotics. Strep throat is diagnosed by taking a throat culture and testing it for the bacteria.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections 5) Tuberculosis: a bacterial disease that attacks that lungs. TB is spread through the air when a person with the disease coughs or sneezes.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections Symptoms of TB include extreme fatigue, coughing (sometimes coughing up blood), fever, night sweats, and weight loss.

Common Communicable Diseases: Respiratory Infections TB can be treated by antibiotics, but many strains have developed resistance to antibiotics.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis Hepatitis: an inflammation of the liver caused by chemicals including drugs and alcohol, and by many different pathogens.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis Hepatitis A, B, and C are the most common form of this disease and there is no cure for them. There are, however, vaccines for hepatitis A and B.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis Hepatitis A: Hepatitis A is most commonly spread through contact with feces of an infected person. Infected persons who do not wash their hands properly may contaminate objects or food or spread the virus through direct contact.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis Symptoms of Hepatitis A are generally mild and may include fever, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, abdominal pain, and Jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and eyes). Most infected individuals recover completely.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis The best way to reduce your risk of hepatitis A is to practice careful hand washing and avoid close contact with people who are infected. Get the vaccine!

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis 2) Hepatitis B: The hepatitis B virus is found in most bodily fluids of an infected person, especially blood. It is most often spread through sexual contact and through needles shared by infected drug users.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis Most people who are infected never experience symptoms. Hepatitis B causes severe liver damage, liver failure, and cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis You can reduce your risk of hepatitis B by practicing abstinence from sexual contact and illegal drug use, and not sharing personal items such as toothbrushes and razors. Get the vaccine!

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis 3) Hepatitis C: the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the United States. Hepatitis C is most often transmitted by direct contact with infected blood through contaminate needles shared by drug users.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis Most people who are infected never experience symptoms. Hepatitis C can lead to chronic liver disease, liver cancer, and liver failure.

Common Communicable Diseases: Hepatitis You can reduce your risk of hepatitis C by practicing abstinence from illegal drug use, and not sharing personal items such as toothbrushes and razors. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C.

Common Communicable Diseases: Emerging Infections Emerging Infections: a communicable disease whose incidence in humans has increased within the past two decades or threatens to increase in the near future Examples: West Nile virus, AIDS, Lyme disease

Common Communicable Diseases: Emerging Infections Reasons for Emerging Infections: 1)Transport across borders 2)Population Movement 3)Resistance to Antibiotics 4)Changes in Food Technology 5)Agents of Bioterrorism

Common Communicable Diseases 1)Activity# 90 (Concept Mapping) 2)T-Charts 3)Activity# 90 (Applying Health Skills)