Infectious Disease Part 1

Key Terms in Infectious Diseases

• Infectious Disease

  • Definition: Growth and spread of harmful organisms (e.g., bacteria, viruses) within the body.

  • Main Pathways:

    • Bacteria

    • Viruses

• Communicable Disease

  • Definition: Diseases that spread between individuals in a community.

• Epidemic vs. Pandemic

  • Epidemic: New cases of a disease in a specific area exceeding normal expectations based on historical data.

  • Pandemic: An epidemic that reaches global scales.

Causes of Infectious Diseases

• Five Main Causes:

  1. Bacteria: Ex: Salmonella

  2. Viruses: Ex: Influenza

  3. Fungi: Ex: Mold

  4. Protozoa: Ex: Amoebas

  5. Helminths: Ex: Worms

Influenza (Flu)

• General Information:

  • A communicable disease often affecting the very young and elderly.

  • Symptoms may include:

    • Fever

    • Chills

    • Cough

    • Sore throat

    • General weakness

    • Nausea/vomiting

  • Severe cases can lead to respiratory or cardiac complications, particularly in vulnerable populations.

• Treatment:

  • It's essential to treat symptoms, especially in vulnerable patients, providing comfort where possible.

COVID-19

• Overview:

  • Highly variable symptoms and outcomes.

  • Similarities to influenza; ranges from mild cases to severe outcomes, including death.

  • Affected demographic: The elderly and those with chronic illnesses (e.g., diabetes, respiratory/cardiac conditions) tend to experience worse outcomes.

• Symptoms:

  • Common symptoms include:

    • Fever

    • Cough

    • Fatigue

    • Body aches

    • Loss of taste and smell

  • Duration: Symptoms can last from 3-6 days, with possible onset within 2-14 days post-exposure.

  • Severe symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, confusion, and cyanosis.

Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

• Overview:

  • A bacterial disease with intense coughing bouts, especially in children.

  • Vaccines are available to prevent whooping cough.

• Symptoms:

  • Intense coughing fits leading to a "whoop" sound during inhalation.

  • Accompanied by fever, sore throat, and can last for 1-2 weeks with lingering cough.

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Overview:

  • Chronic infectious disease predominantly affecting the lungs.

  • Infection may remain dormant in the body for years without symptoms.

• Transmission:

  • Primarily through airborne droplets.

  • N95 masks are essential for caregivers dealing with active TB patients.

• Symptoms:

  • Chronic cough lasting over three weeks

  • Weight loss

  • Fatigue

  • Chills

  • Pain during breathing

• Infection Process:

  • TB bacteria multiply in the alveoli of the lungs.