MICHAEL OTEDOLA COLLEGE OF PRIMATRY EDUCATION

NOFORIJA, KM.7,EPE-IJEBU-ODE ROAD

PMB1028, EPE,LAGOS STATE
.

SCHOOL OF SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF INTEGRATED SCIENCE

COURSE MATERIALS
COURSE CODE- ISC 325

COURSE TITLE - GLOBAL ECOLOGY 1 COURSE STATUS - 2E

COURSE OBJECTIVES

(i) Explain the effects of science and technology on the society in terms of science related

occupations and change of culture.

(ii) Discuss gender roles in our cultural setting

(iii) Identify some Tropical Diseases

COURSE OUTLINE

1. Socio- political aspect of science and technology;

Appreciate Socio- political implications of science and technology in the environment
including the problem and conflict between the need electrical power and minerals and
the damage that may be caused to the environment.
2. Effects of science and technology on the society in terms of science related

occupations and change of culture and leisure activities.

3. Influence of science and technology development of population
4. Gender roles in society and cultural.
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5. Health and Disease-possible causes, Environmental Effect, possible Treatments and
avoidance of Non-communicable Diseases e.g Cardiovascular, cancers, respiratory
diseases.
6. Drug Abuse, Alcohol, tobacco etc.
7. Communicable (Tropical diseases)- Tuberculosis, malaria etc.
8.Sexual Transmitted Diseases(STD) Gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and AIDS.

1. SOCIO-POLITICAL ASPECT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The reality of politics has rapidly grown in complexity. This complexity has been pressuring all
aspect of human life to engage with new phenomena, concerns, and issue areas, and to translate
them into innovative theorizations. Science and technology is one of these issues. Contemporary
human life is tied to and thoroughly permeated by artifacts, technical systems and infrastructures,
making it hard to imagine any international or global issue that does not have technological or
scientific aspects. However, this condition remains fundamentally challenging for many
approaches within our locality, in which instead science and technology have been largely
treated as exogenous. Although an increasing number of politickings are exploring the roles
scientific practices and technological systems play locally and in international affairs and global
politics, the subject matter deserves much more systematic scrutiny. The course articulates the
conceptual, intellectual and academic contexts of the Global Politics of Science and Technology.
In the light of above background it is imperative to conceptualized the following concepts

(1) SCIENCE

Science is defined as a cumulative and endless series of empirical observations which result in
the formulation of concepts and theories with both concepts and theories being subjected to
modification in the light of further empirical studies.

(2) TECHNOLOGY

Technology is defined as the organization of knowledge for practical purpose in manufacturing

or producing device for the good and comfort of human. Technology is the collection of
techniques or methods/ process used in the production of goods of services or in the
accomplishment of objectives such as scientific investigation of any other consumers demand.
Science may drive technology development by generating demand for new instrument to address
a scientific question or by illustrating technical possibilities previously unconsidered. In turn,
technology may drive scientific investigation by creating demand for technological improvement

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that can only be produced through research and by raising questions about the underlying
principles that a new technology relies on.

(3) POLITICS

Politics is a methodology and activities associated with running a government that is a method of
gaining and loosing of power. Science is the pursuit of knowledge, knowledge is power and
power is politics.

Surrounding the scientific method is obviously political arena where politicians negotiate and
compromise for the interest of their constituency. Such as sighting of industries, science and
technology institutions and other science related endeavor.

Science technology and society (STS)

Over the last twenty years, the work of Peter Fensham, the noted Australian science educator, is
considered to have heavily contributed to reforms in science education. Fensham's efforts
included giving greater prominence to STS in the school science curriculum (Aikenhead, 2003).
The key aim behind these efforts was to ensure the development of a broad-based science
curriculum, embedded in the socio-political and cultural contexts in which it was formulated.
From Fensham's point of view, this meant that students would engage with different viewpoints
on issues concerning the impact of science and technology on everyday life. They would also
understand the relevance of scientific discoveries, rather than just concentrate on learning
scientific facts and theories that seemed distant from their realities (Fensham, 1985 & 1988).

However, although the wheels of change in science education had been set in motion during the
late 1970s, it was not until the 1980s that STS perspectives began to gain a serious footing in
science curricula, in largely Western contexts (Gaskell, 1982). This occurred at a time when
issues such as, animal testing, environmental pollution and the growing impact of technological
innovation on social infrastructure, were beginning to raise ethical, moral, economic and political
dilemmas (Fensham, 1988 and Osborne, 2000). There were also concerns among communities of
researchers, educators and governments pertaining to the general public's lack of understanding
about the interface between science and society (Bodmer, 1985; Durant et al. 1989 and Millar
1996). In addition, alarmed by the poor state of scientific literacy among school students, science
educators began to grapple with the quandary of how to prepare students to be informed and

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active citizens, as well as the scientists, medics and engineers of the future (e.g. Osborne, 2000
and Aikenhead, 2003). Hence, STS advocates called for reforms in science education that would
equip students to understand scientific developments in their cultural, economic, political and
social contexts. This was considered important in making science accessible and meaningful to
all students—and, most significantly, engaging them in real world issues (Fensham, 1985;
Solomon, 1993; Aikenhead, 1994 and Hodson 1998).

SOCIO- POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE

ENVIRONMENT

Science and technology improves the society interms of quality health, education, social
amenities, housing, means of transportation, computer appreciation, oil and other natural
resources exploration, good roads networks etc. As we appreciate the importance of science and
technology in improving the quality of life of human race and it environment, Science and
technology have it disadvantages and hazards to man and its environment e.g pollution,
deforestation, desertification, depletion of ozone layer, oil splillage etc.
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that causes adverse
change.[1] Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or
light. Pollutants, the components of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or
naturally occurring contaminants. Pollution is often classed as point source or nonpoint source
pollution. In 2015, pollution killed 9 million people in the world.[2][3]
Major forms of pollution include: Air pollution, light pollution, littering, noise pollution, plastic
pollution, soil contamination, radioactive contamination, thermal pollution, visual pollution,
water pollution.
The burning of coal and wood, and the presence of many horses in concentrated areas made the
cities the primary sources of pollution. The Industrial Revolution brought an infusion of
untreated chemicals and wastes into local streams that served as the water supply. King Edward I
of England banned the burning of sea-coal by proclamation in London in 1272, after its smoke
became a problem;[6][7] the fuel was so common in England that this earliest of names for it was
acquired because it could be carted away from some shores by the wheelbarrow.
It was the Industrial Revolution that gave birth to environmental pollution as we know it today.
London also recorded one of the earlier extreme cases of water quality problems with the Great
Stink on the Thames of 1858, which led to construction of the London sewerage system soon
afterward. Pollution issues escalated as population growth far exceeded viability of
neighborhoods to handle their waste problem. Reformers began to demand sewer systems and
clean water.[8]
In 1870, the sanitary conditions in Berlin were among the worst in Europe. August Bebel
recalled conditions before a modern sewer system was built in the late 1870s:
Waste-water from the houses collected in the gutters running alongside the curbs and emitted a
truly fearsome smell. There were no public toilets in the streets or squares. Visitors, especially
women, often became desperate when nature called. In the public buildings the sanitary facilities

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were unbelievably primitive....As a metropolis, Berlin did not emerge from a state of barbarism
into civilization until after 1870."[9]
A pollutant is a waste material that pollutes air, water, or soil. Three factors determine the
severity of a pollutant: its chemical nature, the concentration, the area affected and the
persistence.
Forms of pollution
The major forms of pollution are listed below along with the particular contaminant relevant to
each of them:
• Air pollution: the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere. Common
gaseous pollutants include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical ozone and
smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. Particulate
matter, or fine dust is characterized by their micrometre size PM10 to PM2.5.
• Electromagnetic pollution: the overabundance of electromagnetic radiation in their non-
ionizing form, like radio waves, etc, that people are constantly exposed at, especially in
large cities. It's still unknown whether or not those types of radiation have any effects on
human health, though.
• Light pollution: includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical interference.
• Littering: the criminal throwing of inappropriate man-made objects, unremoved, onto
public and private properties.
• Noise pollution: which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise, industrial noise as
well as high-intensity sonar.
• Plastic pollution: involves the accumulation of plastic products and microplastics in the
environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, or humans.
• Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground leakage.
Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons, heavy metals, MTBE,
[22]
herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons.
• Radioactive contamination, resulting from 20th century activities in atomic physics, such
as nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons research, manufacture and deployment.
(See alpha emitters and actinides in the environment.)
• Thermal pollution, is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human
influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant.
• Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway
billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash, municipal
solid waste or space debris.
• Water pollution, by the discharge of wastewater from commercial and industrial waste
(intentionally or through spills) into surface waters; discharges of untreated domestic
sewage, and chemical contaminants, such as chlorine, from treated sewage; release of
waste and contaminants into surface runoff flowing to surface waters (including urban
runoff and agricultural runoff, which may contain chemical fertilizers and pesticides; also
including human feces from open defecation – still a major problem in many developing

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 countries); groundwater pollution from waste disposal and leaching into the ground,
including from pit latrines and septic tanks; eutrophication and littering
Deforestation
Deforestation, clearance, clearcutting or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees
from land which is then converted to a non-forest use.[2] Deforestation can involve conversion of
forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated deforestation occurs in
tropical rainforests.[3] About 31% of Earth's land surface is covered by forests.[4]
Deforestation has many causes: trees can be cut down to be used for building or sold as fuel
(sometimes in the form of charcoal or timber), while cleared land can be used as pasture for
livestock and plantation. Disregard of ascribed value, lax forest management, and deficient
environmental laws are some of the factors that lead to large-scale deforestation. In many
countries, deforestation—both naturally occurring and human-induced—is an ongoing issue.[5][.
Between 2000 and 2012, 2.3 million square kilometres (890,000 sq mi) of forests around the
world were cut down.[6] As of 2005, net deforestation rates had ceased to increase in countries
with a per capita GDP of at least US$4,600.[7][8]
The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in habitat damage, biodiversity
loss, and aridity. Deforestation causes extinction, changes to climatic conditions, desertification,
and displacement of populations, as observed by current conditions and in the past through the
fossil record.[9] Deforestation also has adverse impacts on biosequestration of atmospheric carbon
dioxide, increasing negative feedback cycles contributing to global warming. Global warming
also puts increased pressure on communities who seek food security by clearing forests for
agricultural use and reducing arable land more generally. Deforested regions typically incur
significant other environmental effects such as adverse soil erosion and degradation into
wasteland.
Desertification
Desertification is a type of land degradation in drylands in which biological productivity is lost
due to natural processes or induced by human activities whereby fertile areas become
increasingly more arid.[2] It is the spread of arid areas caused by a variety of factors, such as
through climate change (particularly the current global warming)[3] and through the
overexploitation of soil through human activity.[4]
When deserts appear automatically over the natural course of a planet's life cycle, then it can be
called a natural phenomenon; however, when deserts emerge due to the rampant and unchecked
depletion of nutrients in soil that are essential for it to remain arable, then a virtual "soil death"
can be spoken of,[5] which traces its cause back to human overexploitation. Desertification is a
significant global ecological and environmental problem with far reaching consequences on
socio-economic and political conditions.[6]
Depletion of ozone layer
The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's
ultraviolet radiation. It contains high concentration of ozone (O3) in relation to other parts of the
atmosphere, although still small in relation to other gases in the stratosphere. The ozone layer
contains less than 10 parts per million of ozone, while the average ozone concentration in Earth's
atmosphere as a whole is about 0.3 parts per million. The ozone layer is mainly found in the

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lower portion of the stratosphere, from approximately 15 to 35 kilometers (9.3 to 21.7 mi) above
Earth, although its thickness varies seasonally and geographically.[1]
The ozone layer was discovered in 1913 by the French physicists Charles Fabry and Henri
Buisson. Measurements of the sun showed that the radiation sent out from its surface and
reaching the ground on Earth is usually consistent with the spectrum of a black body with a
temperature in the range of 5,500–6,000 K (5,227 to 5,727 °C), except that there was no
radiation below a wavelength of about 310 nm at the ultraviolet end of the spectrum. It was
deduced that the missing radiation was being absorbed by something in the atmosphere.
Eventually the spectrum of the missing radiation was matched to only one known chemical,
ozone.[2] Its properties were explored in detail by the British meteorologist G. M. B. Dobson,
who developed a simple spectrophotometer (the Dobsonmeter) that could be used to measure
stratospheric ozone from the ground. Between 1928 and 1958, Dobson established a worldwide
network of ozone monitoring stations, which continue to operate to this day. The "Dobson unit",
a convenient measure of the amount of ozone overhead, is named in his honor.
The ozone layer absorbs 97 to 99 percent of the Sun's medium-frequency ultraviolet light (from
about 200 nm to 315 nm wavelength), which otherwise would potentially damage exposed life
forms near the surface.[3]
In 1976, atmospheric research revealed that the ozone layer was being depleted by chemicals
released by industry, mainly chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Concerns that increased UV radiation
due to ozone depletion threatened life on Earth, including increased skin cancer in humans and
other ecological problems,[4] led to bans on the chemicals, and the latest evidence is that ozone
depletion has slowed or stopped. The United Nations General Assembly has designated
September 16 as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
Venus also has a thin ozone layer at an altitude of 100 kilometers above the planet's surface

Effects of science and technology on the society in terms of science related

occupations and change of culture and leisure activities.
Introduction of science and technology immensely improved and change the culture and
life style of the society. The orientation and the beliefs that one occupation is meant for a
particular sex change. In science and technology there are various occupations as tabulated
below;

OCCUPATION GENDER A GENDER B BOTH

MALE FEMALE GENDER
Medical Doctor * * *
Nurse * * *
Laboratory Technologist * * *
Agriculturist * * *
Veterinary Doctor * * *
Science Teacher * * *
Mechanical Engineer * * *

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 Electrical Engineer * *
Automobile Engineer *
Pharmacist * * *
Chemist * * *
Biochemist * * *
Botanist * * *

3. Influence of science and technology on the development of population

Science and technology are directly responsible for improved health care lowering natal deaths,
and raising life expectancy. As a consequence human population has exploded to a point where
the earth may not be able to support us
Improved technology used for harvesting food, coupled with the technology of improved
sanitation, has accelerated the growth of the human population. A larger human population
increases the impact on the environment and its resources, many of which are limited and non
renewable.
Source for information and quality education for human beings improved and enhennce
Population Growth: ... then decreased–that is still underway in many developing countries. ...
(Impact of an economic system on the environment = Population ... Population Studies ,
Population studies is broadly defined as the scientific study of human.

4. Gender roles in society and cultural.

Gender roles in society means how we're expected to act, speak, dress, groom, and conduct
ourselves based upon our assigned sex. For example, girls and women are generally expected to
dress in typically feminine ways and be polite, accommodating, and nurturing.
Gender roles are influenced by the media, family, environment, and society. A child's
understanding of gender roles impacts how they socialize with their peers and form relationships.
Many children have a firm sense of their gender identity, while some children can experience
gender identity confusion
The term gender role is used in sociology and psychology to refer to the prescribed behaviors,
attitudes and characteristics associated with one's gender status as a female or a male. Attributes
associated with gender are the result of learning in accordance with cultural standards or
prescriptions.
Gender Aspects of Sexual and Reproductive Health

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Gender roles have an impact on how and whether men and women have access to essential
resources such as education, information, disposable income, and health services. All of these
resources in their turn have an impact on sexual and reproductive health.
The gender gap in education has been closing (dramatically in some places) over the past two
decades, with girls' enrollments increasing faster than those of boys at all levels of education.
However, while boys usually drop out of school at higher rates than girls (with wide variations
across countries), girls continue to face discrimination in access to primary education in some
countries (UNESCO, 2012). The link between education and (sexual and reproductive) health
has been well established, with a multitude of studies having documented a direct association
between education and reduced fertility, implying greater use of contraception ,as well as greater
use of antenatal care services and skilled attendance at childbirth, the use being greater the higher
the levels of women's education. Women now generally outperform men in education, yet they
still face significant shortfalls and discrimination in the labor market and often find themselves in
jobs where their skills are not well used (UNESCO, 2012).

5. Health and Disease

Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being in which disease and infirmity are
absent.[1]
The meaning of health has evolved over time. In keeping with the biomedical perspective, early
definitions of health focused on the theme of the body's ability to function; health was seen as a
state of normal function that could be disrupted from time to time by disease. An example of
such a definition of health is: "a state characterized by anatomic, physiologic, and psychological
integrity; ability to perform personally valued family, work, and community roles; ability to deal
with physical, biological, psychological, and social stress".[2] Then in 1948, in a radical departure
from previous definitions, the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed a definition that
aimed higher: linking health to well-being, in terms of "physical, mental, and social well-being,
and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".[3] Although this definition was welcomed
by some as being innovative, it was also criticized as being vague, excessively broad and was not
construed as measurable. For a long time, it was set aside as an impractical ideal and most
discussions of health returned to the practicality of the biomedical model.[4]
Healthy People 2020 gives more prominence to health promotion and preventive approaches
and adds a substantive focus on the importance of addressing social determinants of health. A
new expanded digital interface facilitates use and dissemination rather than bulky printed books
as produced in the past. The impact of these changes to Healthy People will be determined in the
coming years.[9]

A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of
all or part of an organism, and that is not due to any immediate external injury.[1][2] Diseases are
often known to be medical conditions that are associated with specific symptoms and signs.[1] A
disease may be caused by external factors such as pathogens or by internal dysfunctions. For
example, internal dysfunctions of the immune system can produce a variety of different diseases,
including various forms of immunodeficiency, hypersensitivity, allergies and autoimmune
disorders.
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In humans, disease is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain,
dysfunction, distress, social problems, or death to the person afflicted, or similar problems for
those in contact with the person. In this broader sense, it sometimes includes injuries, disabilities,
disorders, syndromes, infections, isolated symptoms, deviant behaviors, and atypical variations
of structure and function, while in other contexts and for other purposes these may be considered
distinguishable categories. Diseases can affect people not only physically, but also mentally, as
contracting and living with a disease can alter the affected person's perspective on life.
Death due to disease is called death by natural causes. There are four main types of disease:
infectious diseases, deficiency diseases, hereditary diseases (including both genetic diseases and
non-genetic hereditary diseases), and physiological diseases. Diseases can also be classified in
other ways, such as communicable versus non-communicable diseases. The deadliest diseases in
humans are coronary artery disease (blood flow obstruction), followed by cerebrovasculardisease
and lower respiratory infections.[3] In developed countries, the diseases that cause the most
sickness overall are neuropsychiatric conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
The study of disease is called pathology, which includes the study of etiology, or caus

Non-communicable Diseases
A non-communicable disease (NCD) is a disease that is not transmissible directly from one
person to another. NCDs include Parkinson's disease, autoimmune diseases, strokes, most heart
diseases, most cancers, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer's
disease, cataracts, and others. NCDs may be chronic or acute. Most are non-infectious, although
there are some non-communicable infectious diseases, such as parasitic diseases in which the
parasite's life cycle does not include direct host-to-host transmission.
NCDs are the leading cause of death globally. In 2012, they caused 68% of all deaths (38
million) up from 60% in 2000.[1] About half were under age 70 and half were women.[2]Risk
factors such as a person's background, lifestyle and environment increase the likelihood of
certain NCDs. Every year, at least 5 million people die because of tobacco use and about 2.8
million die from being overweight. High cholesterol accounts for roughly 2.6 million deaths and
7.5 million die because of high blood pressure.
Cardiovascular Disease
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of
death for people world-wide. Cardiovascular disease involves disorders of the heart and blood
vessels, such as coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), elevated blood pressure
(hypertension), and heart failure.
1.Heart failure: the heart is not able to supply enough blood to body tissues. It is caused by
conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, and cardiomyopathy (chronic disease of the heart
muscle). 
2.Hypertension: persistently elevated blood pressure (high blood pressure) in the arteries. It is
associated with the development of disorders such as atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke,
and can cause kidney damage.

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3.Atherosclerosis:artery walls become hardened due to build up of plaque (fatty deposits). It
causes decreased blood supply to tissues and may lead to blood clots, stroke, aneurysm, or heart
disease.
4.Aneurysm: a bulging in a weakened area of an artery that could rupture and cause internal
bleeding.
5.Coronary artery disease (heart disease): narrowing or blockage in the coronary arteries,
which supply blood directly to the heart muscle. Complete blockage of blood flow will cause a
heart attack.
6.Stroke: death of brain cells (neurons) due to lack of blood supply.

Respiratory diseases
Respiratory diseases, or lung diseases, are pathological conditions affecting the organs and
tissues that make gas exchange difficult in air-breathing animals. They include conditions of the
respiratory tract including the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, pleurae, pleural cavity, and
the nerves and muscles of respiration. Respiratory diseases range from mild and self-limiting,
such as the common cold, to life-threatening diseases such as bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary
embolism, acute asthma and lung cancer.
respiratory disease
listen (RES-pih-ruh-TOR-eedih-ZEEZ)
A type of disease that affects the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system. Respiratory
diseases may be caused by infection, by smoking tobacco, or by breathing in secondhand tobacco
smoke, radon, asbestos, or other forms of air pollution. Respiratory diseases include asthma,
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, pneumonia, and lung
cancer. Also called lung disorder and pulmonary disease.
The Top 8 Respiratory Illnesses and Diseases

Asthma

Asthma is defined as a common, chronic respiratory condition that causes difficulty breathing
due to inflammation of the airways. Asthma symptoms include dry cough, wheezing, chest
tightness and shortness of breath. Dr. Meyer says there is a major connection between
environmental allergies and asthma. Allergic reactions, infections and pollution can all trigger an
asthma attack.

“Those with persistent asthma often notice a better quality of life with the help of anti-
inflammatory medication,” Dr. Meyer says. “Everyone who has asthma needs to have a rescue
inhaler to open airways quickly.”

Usually, asthma starts in childhood years and progresses into adulthood. However, some people
in their 60s, 70s and 80s can get adult onset asthma. Dr. Meyer says asthma is a reversible
obstructive lung disease. He’s seen asthma patients who are able to improve their breathing flow
rates better than those who have the respiratory disease known as COPD.

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bronchopulmonary disease, chronic obstructive respiratory disease, chronic airflow obstruction,
chronic airflow limitation, chronic obstructive lung disease, nonspecific

Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis is a form of COPD emphasized by a chronic cough. Usually people cough up
sputum (mucus from the lungs), especially in the morning. Dr. Meyer says this happens because
mucus glands in the airways increase output, and patients have to cough that extra secretion out.
Since chronic bronchitis is a form of COPD, it’s treated the same way. People can also develop
acute bronchitis, which is not a long-term disease but rather an infectious problem. It develops
from a viral or bacterial infection and can be treated with antibiotics. Symptoms associated with
acute bronchitis will subside once the infection has resolved.

Emphysema

Emphysema is a serious respiratory disease, which is another form of COPD. The most common
cause is smoking. Those who suffer from emphysema have trouble exhaling air from their lungs.
Cigarette smoke damages the air sacs in the lungs to a point where they can no longer repair
themselves. Dr. Meyer says this respiratory system illness most commonly leads to respiratory
failure and the need for extra oxygen to meet breathing needs. Emphysema evolves slowly over
the years, and there is no cure; however, those who quit smoking are more likely to see the
disease’s progression slow.

Lung Cancer

With the ability to develop in any part of the lungs, this cancer is difficult to detect. Most often,
the cancer develops in the main part of the lungs near the air sacs. DNA mutations in the lungs
cause irregular cells to multiply and create an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells, or a tumor.
These tumors interfere with the regular functions of the lungs.

“Far and away the most common risk factor for lung cancer is cigarette smoke. Other risk factors
include radon exposure, workplace exposure, including asbestos and diesel fumes, secondhand
smoke, air pollution and radiation exposure from frequent CT scans of the chest,” Dr. Meyer
says.

Symptoms can take years to appear, but include things like chronic coughing, changes in voice,
harsh breathing sounds and coughing up blood. According to the American Cancer Society, lung
cancer is by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the U.S.

Cystic Fibrosis/Bronchiectasis

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic respiratory disease caused by a defective gene that creates thick and
sticky mucus that clogs up tubes and passageways. This mucus causes repeat, and dangerous,
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lung infections, as well as obstructions in the pancreas that prevent important enzymes from
breaking down nutrients for the body. According to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, this disease
affects 30,000 people in the U.S., 75 percent of which were diagnosed by age of two. Symptoms
of cystic fibrosis include salty-tasting skin, chronic coughing, frequent lung infections and a poor
growth rate in children .People who have cystic fibrosis will also develop bronchiectasis.

“Bronchiectasis is a condition in which patients develop abnormally dilated bronchial tubes. This
allows mucus to pool, causing frequent respiratory tract infections, wheezing and shortness of
breath. There are other ways bronchiectasis develops besides cystic fibrosis, including other
infections,” Bronchiectasis usually develops later in life and is more common in women than
men.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a common lung disease caused by an infection in the air sacs in the lungs. The
infections can be bacterial, viral or fungal. Most people can recover in one to three weeks, but for
certain people, pneumonia can be extremely serious and even life-threatening.

“The very young and the very old are more at-risk for pneumonia and complications associated
with pneumonia. Patients can be at increasingly susceptible to pneumonia, based on their
smoking history or just their overall immune status. If they are frail or sickly, they can develop
pneumonia more readily than young, healthy, well-nourished people”.

Symptoms, which include cough, fever, shaking chills and shortness of breath, can range from
mild to severe. It’s really important for adults over 65 or those with other chronic disease to get
the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine. Additional suggested ways to prevent this respiratory
condition include washing hands frequently and getting the flu shot.

Coronavirus Disease

A novel coronavirus is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in
humans.Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses transmitting between animals and
people that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle
East respiratory syndrome (MERS-CoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Reports suggest that 2019-nCoV, COVID19, infection can cause mild to severe disease and be
fatal in some. Common observed symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore
throat, and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia or severe
acute respiratory syndrome, particularly in those with other chronic underlying health conditions,
and even death.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

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Presently this new contagious disease has no vaccine for now, any victim of such ailment should
report to government agencies in care of COVID-19. Is better to prevent it by; (1) Having good
hygiene by washing our hangs with soap and water, cleaning of our environment frequently

(2) Using of sanitizer to clean our hands

(3) Using of face mask when going out

(4) Social distancing.

6. Drug Abuse, Alcohol, and tobacco

The use of illegal drugs or the use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other
than those for which they are meant to be used, or in large amounts. Drug abuse may lead to
social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems.

Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is use of a drug in amounts or by methods which
are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing
definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, medical and criminal justice contexts. In
some cases criminal or anti-social behaviour occurs when the person is under the influence of a
drug, and long term personality changes in individuals may occur as well.[5] In addition to
possible physical, social, and psychological harm, use of some drugs may also lead to criminal
penalties, although these vary widely depending on the local jurisdiction.[6]
Drugs most often associated with this term include: alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates,
benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, methaqualone, and opioids. The exact cause
of substance abuse is not clear, with the two predominant theories being: either a genetic
disposition which is learned from others, or a habit which if addiction develops, manifests itself
as a chronic debilitating disease.[7]
In 2010 about 5% of people (230 million) used an illicit substance.[2] Of these 27 million have
high-risk drug use otherwise known as recurrent drug use causing harm to their health,
psychological problems, or social problems that put them at risk of those dangers.[2][3]In 2015
substance use disorders resulted in 307,400 deaths, up from 165,000 deaths in 1990.[4][8] Of these,
the highest numbers are from alcohol use disorders at 137,500, opioid use disorders at 122,100
deaths, amphetamine use disorders at 12,200 deaths, and cocaine use disorders at 11,100.[4]

7. COMMUNICABLE DISEASE

Communicable disease is an illness resulting from an infection

An infection is the invasion of an organism's body tissues by pathogenic organism (disease-
causing agents), their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agents and

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the toxins they produce. Infections are caused by infectious agents (pathogens) including:
Viruses ,Bacteria,Fungi, Parasites, which are usually divided into:[5]
• Unicellular organisms (e.g. malaria, Toxoplasma, Babesia)
• Macroparasites[6] (worms or helminths) including nematodes such as
parasiticroundworms and pinworms, tapeworms (cestodes), and flukes (trematodes,
such as schistosomiasis)
• Arthropods such as ticks, mites, fleas, and lice, can also cause human disease, which
conceptually are similar to infections, but invasion of a human or animal body by these
macroparasites is usually termed infestation. (Diseases caused by helminths, which are also
macroparasites, are sometimes termed infestations as well, but are sometimes called
infections.)
Hosts can fight infections using their immune system. Mammalian hosts react to infections with
an innate response, often involving inflammation, followed by an adaptive response.[7]
Specific medications used to treat infections include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals,
antiprotozoals, and antihelminthics. Infectious diseases resulted in 9.2 million deaths in 2013
(about 17% of all deaths).[8] The branch of medicine that focuses on infections is referred to as
infectious disease.

Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(MTB) bacteria.[1] Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the
body.[1] Most infections show no symptoms, in which case it is known as latent tuberculosis.[1]
About 10% of latent infections progress to active disease which, if left untreated, kills about half
of those affected.[1] The classic symptoms of active TB are a chronic cough with blood-
containingmucus, fever, night sweats, and weight loss.[1] It was historically called
"consumption" due to the weight loss.[8]Infection of other organs can cause a wide range of
symptoms.[9]
Tuberculosis is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs cough,
spit, speak, or sneeze.[1][10] People with latent TB do not spread the disease.[1] Active infection
occurs more often in people with HIV/AIDS and in those who smoke.[1]Diagnosis of active TB is
based on chest X-rays, as well as microscopic examination and culture of body fluids.[11]
Diagnosis of latent TB relies on the tuberculin skin test (TST) or blood tests.[11]
Prevention of TB involves screening those at high risk, early detection and treatment of cases,
and vaccination with the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine.[3][4][5]Those at high risk
include household, workplace, and social contacts of people with active TB.[4] Treatment requires
the use of multiple antibiotics over a long period of time.[1]Antibiotic resistance is a growing
problem with increasing rates of multiple drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively
drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).[1]
As of 2018 one quarter of the world's population is thought to have latent infection with TB.[6]
New infections occur in about 1% of the population each year.[12] In 2018, there were more than
10 million cases of active TB which resulted in 1.5 million deaths.[7] This makes it the number
one cause of death from an infectious disease.[13] More than 95% of deaths occurred in

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developing countries, and more than 50% in India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the
Philippines.[13] The number of new cases each year has decreased since 2000.[1] About 80% of
people in many Asian and African countries test positive while 5–10% of people in the United
States population test positive by the tuberculin test.[14] Tuberculosis has been present in humans
since ancient times.

8. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

Sexually transmitted diseases are infections that are passed from one person to another through
sexual contact. The causes of STDs are bacteria, parasites, and viruses. There are more than 20
types of STDs, including; Chlamydia, Genital herpes,Gonorrhea, Syphilis,Trichomoniasis,
HIV/AIDS.
Most STDs affect both men and women, but in many cases the health problems they cause can
be more severe for women. If a pregnant woman has an STD, it can cause serious health
problems for the baby.
Antibiotics can treat STDs caused by bacteria or parasites. There is no cure for STDs caused by a
virus, but medicines can often help with the symptoms and keep the disease under control.
Correct usage of latex condoms greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the risk of
catching or spreading STDs. The most reliable way to avoid infection is to not have anal,
vaginal, or oral sex

HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of Lentivirus (a subgroup of
retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS),[1][2] a condition in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-
threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive.[3] Without treatment, average survival
time after infection with HIV is estimated to be 9 to 11 years, depending on the HIV subtype.[4]
In most cases, HIV is a sexually transmitted infection and occurs by contact with or transfer of
blood, pre-ejaculate, semen, and vaginal fluids. Research has shown (for both same-sex and
opposite-sex couples) that HIV is untransmittable through condomless sexual intercourse if the
HIV-positive partner has a consistently undetectable viral load.[5][6] Non-sexual transmission can
occur from an infected mother to her infant during pregnancy, during childbirth by exposure to
her blood or vaginal fluid, and through breast milk.[7][8][9][10]Within these bodily fluids, HIV is
present as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune cells.
HIV infects vital cells in the human immune system, such as helper T cells (specifically CD4+ T
cells), macrophages, and dendritic cells.[11] HIV infection leads to low levels of CD4+ T cells
through a number of mechanisms, including pyroptosis of abortively infected T cells,[12]apoptosis
of uninfected bystander cells,[13] direct viral killing of infected cells, and killing of infected CD4+
T cells by CD8+cytotoxic lymphocytes that recognize infected cells.[14] When CD4+ T cell
numbers decline below a critical level, cell-mediated immunity is lost, and the body becomes
progressively more susceptible to opportunistic infections, leading to the development of AIDS.
Treatment options for HIV

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Treatment should begin as soon as possible after a diagnosis of HIV, regardless of viral load. The
main treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy, a combination of daily medications that stop the
virus from reproducing. This helps protect CD4 cells, keeping the immune system strong enough
to fight off disease.
Antiretroviral therapy helps keep HIV from progressing to AIDS. It also helps reduce the risk of
transmitting HIV to others.
When treatment is effective, the viral load will be “undetectable.” The person still has HIV, but
the virus is not visible in test results. However, the virus is still in the body. And if that person
stops taking antiretroviral therapy, the viral load will increase again and the HIV can again start
attacking CD4 cells.
What is AIDS?
ACQUIRED IMMUNED DEFICIENCY SYNDROM (AIDS) is a disease that can develop in
people with HIV. It’s the most advanced stage of HIV. But just because a person has HIV
doesn’t mean they’ll develop AIDS.
HIV kills CD4 cells. Healthy adults generally have a CD4 count of 500 to 1,500 per cubic
millimeter. A person with HIV whose CD4 count falls below 200 per cubic millimeter will be
diagnosed with AIDS.
A person can also be diagnosed with AIDS if they have HIV and develop an opportunistic
infection or cancer that’s rare in people who don’t have HIV. An opportunistic infection, such as
pneumonia, is one that takes advantage of a unique situation, such as HIV.
Untreated, HIV can progress to AIDS within a decade. There’s no cure for AIDS, and without
treatment, life expectancy after diagnosis is about three yearsTrusted Source. This may be
shorter if the person develops a severe opportunistic illness. However, treatment with
antiretroviral drugs can prevent AIDS from developing.
If AIDS does develop, it means that the immune system is severely compromised. It’s weakened
to the point where it can no longer fight off most diseases and infections. That makes the person
vulnerable to a wide range of illnesses, including:
• pneumonia
• tuberculosis
• oral thrush, a fungal infection in the mouth or throat
• cytomegalovirus (CMV), a type of herpes virus
• cryptococcal meningitis, a fungal infection in the brain
• cryptosporidiosis, an infection caused by an intestinal parasite
• cancer, including Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) and lymphoma
What are the symptoms of AIDS?
AIDS refers to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. With this condition, the immune system is
weakened due to HIV that’s typically gone untreated for many years. If HIV is found and treated
early with antiretroviral therapy, a person will usually not develop AIDS.

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People with HIV may develop AIDS if their HIV is not diagnosed until late, or if they know they
have HIV but don’t consistently take their antiretroviral therapy. They may also develop AIDS if
they have a type of HIV that’s resistant to (doesn’t respond to) the antiretroviral treatment.
Without proper and consistent treatment, people living with HIV can develop AIDS sooner. By
that time, the immune system is quite damaged and has a harder time fighting off infection and
disease. With the use of antiretroviral therapy, a person can maintain chronic HIV infection
without developing AIDS for decades.
Symptoms of AIDS can include:
• recurrent fever
• chronic swollen lymph glands, especially of the armpits, neck, and groin
• chronic fatigue
• night sweats
• dark splotches under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
• sores, spots, or lesions of the mouth and tongue, genitals, or anus
• bumps, lesions, or rashes of the skin
• recurrent or chronic diarrhea
• rapid weight loss
• neurologic problems such as trouble concentrating, memory loss, and confusion
• anxiety and depression.

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