Communicable Diseases Chain of Infection

An illness due to an infectious agent or its toxic

products which is transmitted directly or indirectly to a
person or animal or an agency of intermediate
host/vector.

1. Contagious – can easily be transferred from one

person to another. (e.g., flu, colds, pneumonia,
TB, Covid-19, chickenpox, sore eyes)
2. Infectious – It needs direct inoculation for it to
be transferred to another person. (e.g., HIV,
dengue, malaria, leptospirosis, typhoid fever,
rabies)

Noncommunicable Diseases are not transmittable such

as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, etc.,

Ways to prevent the spread of the disease:

1. Immunize against infectious diseases.

2. Wash and dry hands regularly
3. Personal hygiene
4. Stay home when sick.
5. Cover mouth when coughing or sneezing.
6. Clean surface regularly
7. Proper ventilation of home
8. Proper preparation of foods
9. Practice safe sex
10. Be physically fit/ Healthy lifestyle.
11. Environmental sanitation.

General ways of spreading the disease:

1. Bloodborne (e.g., HIV and Hepa B)

2. Foodborne (e.g., typhoid fever)
3. Airborne (e.g., tuberculosis, chickenpox,
measles)
4. Waterborne (e.g., cholera)
5. Tickborne (lyme’s disease)
6. Insect borne/vector borne (e.g., dengue,
malaria, elephantiasis)
7. Venereal diseases (e.g., gonorrhea, syphilis, Immunization vs Vaccination
HIV) are sexually transmitted.
Immunization – the process in which an individual’s
immune system becomes fortified against infectious
agent.

Vaccination – the act of introducing a substance into the

body.

Five main types of vaccines:

 1. Attenuated – there is an alive but weakened
virus in the vaccine (e.g., smallpox, OPV, MMR,
chickenpox, flu, and shingles).
2. Inactivated – the virus in the vaccine is killed
and inactivated (e.g., IPV, heap A, rabies).
3. Toxoids – harmful toxins are removed. Once
introduced to the body, the immune system will
be triggered to produce antibodies to fight
presence of antigen (e.g., tetanus)
4. Subunit – contain fragments of protein and/or
polysaccharide from the pathogen to produce a
strong and effective immune response. (e.g.,
Covid-19)
5. Conjugated – chemically made (e.g., PCV).

Expanded Program Immunization

A program intended for children below 12 months old.