BIOLOGY WHY DO WE FALL III?

Kinds of Diseases
Infectious Agents

 There is a vast diversity of pathogens found on the Earth. Some of them are unicellular like bacteria
and protozoa, whereas some are multicellular like worms. All pathogens cause diseases.
 Diseases caused by viruses include chikungunya, poliomyelitis, common cold, chickenpox, rabies,
influenza, measles, yellow fever, AIDS, small pox and cowpox. These diseases are called viral
diseases.
 Bacteria cause typhoid, cholera, leprosy, tetanus, plague, whooping cough and tuberculosis. These
are bacterial diseases.
 Fungi cause several types of skin infections, dandruff and ringworm.
 Protozoa are common disease-causing agents. Malaria, amoebic dysentery and Kala-azar are some
of the diseases caused by protozoa.
 Metazoans tend to cause a variety of intestinal infections. They are also responsible for causing
diseases such as elephantiasis and ascariasis.
 Mites are responsible for causing scabies.
 It is necessary to classify pathogens as this classification helps us in deciding the kind of treatment to
be used against a particular type of pathogen.
 Antibiotics are chemical compounds which block the important biochemical pathways of bacteria.
Therefore, most broad spectrum antibiotics work against many species of bacteria rather than working
against one species only.
 Antibiotics cannot be used against viruses as they do not use the same pathways as observed in case
of bacteria. Instead, our body secretes an antiviral protein called interferon to combat viral infections.

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Diseases Caused due to Infection by Microorganisms

Diseases Caused by Protozoa

INCUBATION MODE OF SYMPTOMS PREVENTIVE

PERIOD TRANSMISSION MEASURES
Malaria (Plasmodium falciparum)

About 3 weeks Female Anopheles 1. Cold stage characterised by 1. Population of

mosquito acts as a sudden onset of fever with mosquitoes should
carrier. rigour and sensation of be reduced or
chilling cold. eliminated.

2. During the hot stage, body 2. Mosquito bites

temperature may rise to
41°C or 106°F with severe
headache, nausea,
vomiting, fatigue and body
pain.
should be prevented
by using mosquito
nets, applying
mosquito repellents
to the body etc.

3. The sweating stage is 3. Water boiled with

characterised by profuse leaves and
sweating and lower body inflorescence of
temperature. neem should be
used for drinking.
4. In children, the blockage of
capillaries supplying blood
to the brain results in
haemorrhage.

5. Enlargement of the spleen.

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Amoebic dysentery or Amoebiasis (Entamoeba histolytica)

About 1 week Through food and 1. Diarrhoea or watery 1. Food should be

water contaminated motions containing mucus kept covered
by flies or through or blood, and pain in properly to avoid
faeces of an abdomen. contamination by
infected person. flies and dust
2. The intestinal lining is carrying cysts.
destructed completely.
2. Avoid eating spicy
3. Constipation alternating and fried food.
with diarrhoea.
3. Population of flies
4. Stomach convulsions. should be
controlled or
eliminated.

4. Clean, boiled and

cooled water should
be used for
drinking.

5. Raw vegetables
and fruits bought
from the market
should be cleaned
and washed
properly before
storing and eating.

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The term ‘malaria’ was proposed by Macculoch (1827). C. L. A. Laveran (1880), a

French physician, discovered the malarial parasite Plasmodium in the blood of a
malaria patient. He received the Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1907. Sir Ronald
Ross (1897), a British physician, confirmed that malaria is caused by the malarial
parasite and that mosquito is the vector. He received the Nobel Prize for this
discovery in 1902.

Diseases Caused by Bacteria

INCUBATION MODE OF SYMPTOMS PREVENTIVE

PERIOD TRANSMISSION MEASURES
Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)

2–10 weeks Through air, dust or 1. Wasting disease occurs, 1. Dirty, humid or
sputum of infected resulting in loss of overcrowded habitats
person. resistance and should be avoided.
weakness. 2. Consumption of
2. Tired feeling, indigestion, alcohol, tobacco and
vomiting, night sweating, cigarettes should be
low fever, especially in avoided.
the evening and chills. 3. The patient should
3. Dry cough with white or be kept in isolation.
yellowish sputum along 4. BCG (Bacillus
with blood. Calmette Guerin)
4. Chest pain, difficulty in vaccine should be
breathing. administered.
5. Pain in joints and waist.
6. Loss of appetite and
weight.
7. Body appears pale due to
reduction in the
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INCUBATION MODE OF SYMPTOMS PREVENTIVE

PERIOD TRANSMISSION MEASURES
haemoglobin content of
the blood.

Cholera (Vibrio cholerae)

Few hours to 6 Contaminated water, 1. Burning sensation is felt in 1. Control of houseflies

days food and drinks, and the intestines. by destroying their
spread by flies. breeding grounds.
2. Severe stomach ache,
diarrhoea with white, 2. Personal hygiene,
watery and foul smelling cleanliness of the
faecal waste and vomiting. surroundings and
consumption of well-
3. Person feels dehydrated. cooked, nutritious
4. Dryness of tongue, food.
sunken eyes and 3. Water should be
muscular pains. purified or disinfected.
5. Pulse rate drops to a 4. Water reservoirs
considerable extent. should be kept clean.
6. Skin dries and loses its 5. Anti-cholera injection
normal position when it is
stretched.

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Tetanus (Clostridium tetani)

4–20 days Through cuts or 1. Person initially gets fever 1. Wounds and cuts
wounds on the skin and headache. should be cleaned
and enters through immediately.
blood into the spinal 2. Painful contractions or
cord. spasms of muscles of 2. Rusted or dirty pins
neck and jaw. and needles should
not be used.
3. Body becomes rigid and
may even bend like a 3. Playing in soil,
bow. manure heaps or
cattle dung should be
4. Paralysis and even death avoided.
may occur in extreme
cases. 4. Anti-tetanus vaccine
should be given.

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Syphilis (Treponema pallidum)

1–12 weeks Sexually transmitted 1. Skin rash, ulcers on penis 1. Avoid sexual contact
or close contact. or on rectum, lips, tongue with an infected
and nipples. person.

2. Fever 2. Treatment of
antibiotics, especially
3. Pus-like discharge in the that of penicillin.
genital tubes.

4. Death in extreme cases.

Diphtheria (Corynebacterium diphtheriae)

2–10 days Droplet infection 1. Patient suffers from 1. DPT vaccine or Triple
while coughing and throat pain, fever and Antigen is commonly
sneezing, or contact. difficulty in breathing. given.

2. Death in extreme cases. 2. Isolation of the patient.

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Typhoid (Salmonella typhi)

7–21 days Contaminated water 1. Tender abdomen, 1. Control of insects like

or milk, or through abdominal pain, coated houseflies and
flies. tongue, fatigue in legs, mosquitoes by
body ache and dull destroying their
headache. breeding grounds.
2. Fever is usually as high
as 104°F, especially in 2. Treatment with
the afternoon antibiotics (e.g.
accompanied by cold. chloromycetin).
3. Diarrhoea, nausea, 3. Personal hygiene,
vomiting, loss of appetite cleanliness of the
and constipation. surroundings and
4. Enlargement of the consumption of well-
spleen. cooked, nutritious
5. Rose-coloured rashes or food.
eruptions appear on the
chest and abdomen. 4. Continuous intake of
6. Body weight is reduced liquid food such as
significantly due to juices.
weakness.
7. Spasmic convulsions. 5. Typhoid vaccine
should be given.

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Whooping Cough (Haemophilus pertussis)

10–15 days Contact or droplet 1. Fever, cold with running DPT vaccine or Triple
infection of throat. nose and irritating Antigen is commonly
cough. given.

2. Whoop is developed at
the end of cough as a
sudden bout of noisy
breath.

3. Vomiting after ingestion

of food.
Pneumonia (Diplococcus pneumoniae)

1–3 days Contact or by air. 1. Difficulty in breathing. 1. Always cover the

mouth with a
2. Water accumulates in the handkerchief while
lungs. coughing and
sneezing.

2. Administer penicillin.

3. Avoid fatigue,
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malnutrition and
contact.
Leprosy (Mycobacterium leprae)

Several years Contact, highly 1. Skin over the infected 1. Early detection
contagious parts undergoes 2. Isolation of the
discoloration. patient
3. Vaccination
2. At the first stage, a small 4. Good nutrition and
patch appears on the sanitation
skin, the peripheral
nerves are affected and
there is loss in sensation.

3. During the second stage,

the skin of the face
becomes thick and
wrinkled, and the ears
swell. The whole body is
thickened and gets
covered with nodules.

4. In the third stage, fingers

and toes become bent,
ulcerated or droop and
disappear altogether.

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Gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoea)

3–10 days Sexual contact 1. Pain during urination. Avoid sexual contact with
an infected person.
2. Pus-like discharge in
genital tubes.

Tuberculosis is diagnosed on the basis of positive tuberculin test, chest X-ray,

positive sputum, gastric analysis etc. Tuberculosis is not a hereditary disease. The
modern treatment of tuberculosis is based on the six main factors of rest, diet,
drugs, surgery, rehabilitation and health education. BCG vaccine is injected into the
skin at birth to provide considerable protection against tuberculosis.

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Diseases Caused by Parasitic Worms

INCUBATION MODE OF SYMPTOMS PREVENTIVE

PERIOD TRANSMISSION MEASURES
Ascariasis (Ascaris lumbricoides)

About 4–8 weeks Through soil, food 1. Bleeding in liver, heart 1. Human faeces
and water and lungs. should be properly
contaminated with 2. Sudden contraction of disposed.
eggs of female worm. muscles, fever and
anaemia. 2. Hands should be
Flies act as carriers.
3. Irritation of the intestine, washed properly
colic pains, fever, gastric before eating,
ulcers, dizziness, cooking and after
vomiting, abdominal visiting the toilet.
discomforts such as 3. Nails should be cut
indigestion, bloated regularly.
abdomen and vitamin A
deficiency. 4. Fruits and
4. Malnourishment of vegetables growing
children. on soil contaminated
with human faeces
should be
thoroughly washed
and adequately
cooked before
eating.

5. Food should always

be kept covered with
fly-proof nets to
prevent
contamination by
flies.

6. Boiled–cooled, fresh
water should be

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 BIOLOGY WHY DO WE FALL III?

used for drinking.

Taeniasis (Taenia solium)

About 8–14 weeks Consumption of Extreme weakness 1. Avoid raw meat.

infected pork and Cook meat at a
beef. temperature more
than 140°F for about
5 min.

2. Freeze meat to
temperature of −4°F
for 24 hours.

3. Maintenance of
personal hygiene.

4. Wash hands before

eating, cooking and
after visiting the
toilet.

Food poisoning by bacteria Salmonella is called salmonellosis. The bacterium

Salmonella is present in sick farm animals. So, salmonellosis is contracted from
sick farm animals through their contaminated food products such as milk, eggs and
meat. When Salmonella grow and multiply rapidly in our intestines, food poisoning
occurs. Common symptoms of salmonellosis include chills, fever, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhoea and pain in the abdomen.

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Diseases Caused by Viruses

INCUBATION MODE OF SYMPTOMS PREVENTIVE

PERIOD TRANSMISSION MEASURES
Poliomyelitis (Poliovirus)

7–14 days Through excreta, 1. Size and strength of limb 1. Eat fresh, clean and
secretion of the nose, muscles decrease. nutritious food.
incubates in the 2. Population of flies
2. Strain in the muscles of should be reduced.
intestine and to the
back and legs. 3. Polio vaccine is
brain through blood
vessels. 3. Muscles become flaccid given.
and cause disability.

4. Inflammation of the spinal

cord.

5. Muscle paralysis of legs.

6. Common cold, fever,

fatigue, headache,
vomiting and reddening of
throat.

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Mumps (Myxovirus parotitis)

12–26 days Contact, or 1. Characteristic painful 1. Avoid sexual contact

contaminated food or swelling of salivary
glands. 2. Vaccination of
milk and air.
gamma globulin
2. Pain while opening the
mouth, earache, 3. Complete isolation
headache and fever.

3. In some cases, virus

may also affect the
pancreas and kidneys.

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Rabies (Rhabdovirus)

30 days or more By a bite of a mad 1. Laziness, fever, 1. Immunisation of the

dog (canine disease). uneasiness, depression, dog.
loss of appetite,
sometimes itching or
pain at the site of the
bite.
2. The patient’s limbs
become flaccid.
3. Headache, mental
confusion and
restlessness due to
emotional disturbances.
4. Madness, disorientation,
hallucination, seizure
and paralysis.
5. Spasms and convulsions
of throat muscles.
6. Hydrophobia.
7. Death may be sudden
due to cardiac or
respiratory arrest.

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HIV/AIDS (HIV)

15 months–10/12 Infected blood, 1. Complete destruction of 1. Avoid sexual

years shared injection immunity, weight loss up contact with HIV-
needles, sexual to 10%, prolonged fever, infected people.
contact chronic diarrhoea and
body-ache. 2. Avoid using
2. Itching of skin, burning syringes, needles,
sensation in the razors and
respiratory tract, toothbrushes used
persistent cough by AIDS patients.
containing sputum, 3. Blood should be
profuse sweating, white tested properly for
patches inside the HIV before blood
mouth, ulcers in the donation.
oesophagus, memory
loss, headache and 4. Breastfeeding
giddiness. should be avoided
by an HIV-infected
mother.

5. Addiction to drugs
should be avoided.

Important dates
1. World TB Day: 24 March
2. Malaria Day: 20 August
3. World AIDS Day: 1 December

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 BIOLOGY WHY DO WE FALL III?

Means of Spread of Infectious Diseases

Spread of
infectious
diseases

Through
Through Through Through Through
Through air sexual
water food vectors fomites
contact

 Air-borne diseases: Diseases which spread through air when droplets of pathogens are expelled into
the air due to coughing, sneezing or talking are called air-borne diseases. Examples: Influenza,
meningitis

 Water-borne diseases: Diseases caused due to consumption of contaminated water are called
water-borne diseases. Examples: Typhoid fever, cholera, hepatitis A

 Food-borne diseases: Diseases caused due to consumption of food contaminated with chemical
toxins or pathogens are called food-borne diseases. Examples: Taeniasis, Trichinosis

 Vector-borne diseases: Diseases caused by pathogens transmitted by intermediaries or vectors

such as insects and ticks are called vector-borne diseases. Examples: Malaria, elephantiasis

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 Sexually transmitted diseases: Diseases caused by pathogens transmitted by sexual contact from
one partner to another are called sexually transmitted diseases. Examples: AIDS, syphilis

 Fomite-borne diseases: Diseases caused by pathogens present on inanimate objects such as

clothing, bedding, handkerchief, toilet articles, utensils, drinking cups and glasses used by infectious
people are called fomite-borne diseases. Examples: Scabies, ringworm

Organ-specific and Tissue-specific Manifestations of Diseases

 Our body is quite large and so there are many possible ways in which disease-causing microbes may
enter our body. The symptoms depend on the target of pathogens.
 Symptoms are evidences which point to the presence of diseases. They are visible in the form of
structural and functional changes in the body or body parts.
 The signs and symptoms of a disease depend on the tissue or organ which the microbe targets. If
lungs are the target, then the symptoms of the disease would be cough and breathlessness. If the liver
is targeted, then there will be jaundice.
 The severity of disease manifestation depends on the number of microbes within the body. If the
number of microbes is very small, then the disease manifestations may be minor or unnoticed.
However, if the number of microbes is large, then the disease can be severe enough to be life-
threatening.
 Our immune system is a major factor which determines the number of microbes surviving inside the
body. It fights against the microbes which cause diseases.
 During infection, the immune system gets activated. It sends many soldier cells to the affected tissue to
kill the microbes. This causes inflammation.

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 Inflammation or oedema is due to the escape of some chemicals such as histamine and 5′-
hydroxytrptoamine from the damaged tissues. These chemicals cause allergic reactions in our body.
They attract blood supply due to which the amount of blood and the temperature of the surrounding
area increase. The consequent swelling of the area is called oedema.
 Plasma and white blood cells (WBCs) of the immune system of the body are discharged at the affected
site. The plasma contains products such as antibodies and macrophages which kill or inhibit the growth
of pathogens.

 Macrophages and some WBCs secrete a chemical called interferon which makes the body cells
resistant to infections by viruses.
 Doctors carry out confirmatory tests such as laboratory tests of blood, urine and stool or even an X-ray
to confirm the presence of a disease.

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