03-02 - How can we be hygienic?

Objective:
 To state the difference between antiseptics and disinfectants
 To identify places where microorganisms can grow
 To outline examples of transmission
 To describe how to reduce the chances of spreading communicable diseases

Key words:

Host: the organism lived on by a parasite / microorganism / virus

Transmission: the spreading of a disease
Communicable disease: a disease which can spread from place to place
Hygienic / (un)hygienic
Vector: an organism that can spread a disease
Antiseptic:
Disinfectant:

Diseases can be grouped into two types:

 communicable, which can be transferred from one organism to another (e.g. measles, food
poisoning, malaria).
 non-communicable, which are not transferred between people or other organisms (e.g.
cystic fibrosis, arthritis, vitamin/mineral deficiency)

Communicable diseases can be transmitted from place to place by a number of means.

Type of transmission Example
Direct contact This can be sexual contact during
intercourse or non-sexual contact, like
shaking hands.
Water Dirty water can transmit many diseases,
such as the cholera bacterium.
Air When a person who is infected by the
common cold sneezes, they can spray
thousands of tiny droplets containing virus
particles to infect others.
Even by breathing and talking - tiny
droplets are released over time containing
virus particles which can hang in the air.
Unhygienic food preparation Undercooked or reheated food can cause
bacterial diseases like Escherichia coli which
is a cause of food poisoning.
 Vector Something that transmits diseases to humans
and other animals by blood-feeding arthropods,
such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas

Find out about some communicable diseases that interest you. How are they spread? What
effects do they cause? You may wish to look for images but check for descriptions of
symptoms first in case images are upsetting. An example has been provided:

Communicabl Pathogen Method of Image of Approx Symptoms Treatment? Other

e disease (virus, transmission pathogen size of interesting fact
bacteria, pathoge
fungus, n
protist)
Bubonic Bacteria Small animals 1-3 mm Fever antibiotics Other types of
plague (a.k.a. (Yersinia such as rats Headache plague depend
Black Death) pestis) carry the Vomiting on the method
infected fleas Painful swollen of infection (e.g.
(vector) which lynph nodes pneumonic
bite people .. death plague caused
by breathing in
droplets which
contain the
bacteria)
Tuberculosis Bacteria Through the 0.2–0.5 A persistent With antibiotics, About one
(Phthisis (Mycobacter inhalation of µm wide cough, chest typically a quarter of the
pulmonalis) ium tiny droplets and 2–4 pain, fatigue, combination of world's
tuberculosis) from the coughs µm long fever, night drugs taken population is
or sneezes of an sweats, over several infected with
infected person unintentional months. tuberculosis
weight loss, and (TB) bacteria
loss of appetite.
Malaria Protists Through the 8–12 μm High fever, Typically Women who
(Plasmodium (Plasmodiu bite of infected long and chills, sweating, involves contract malaria
falciparum) m parasites) female 3–6 μm headaches, antimalarial while pregnant
Anopheles wide muscle aches, medications, are more likely
mosquitoes fatigue, nausea, with the specific to die from the
vomiting, drug and illness
diarrhea, and in duration of
severe cases, treatment
jaundice. depending on
the species of
Plasmodium
causing the
infection and
regional drug
resistance
patterns

How do hospitals avoid the spread of disease?

Hospitals stop diseases from spreading by proper hand hygiene, wears protective gear like
masks and gloves. They maintain a clean environment through regular cleaning and
disinfection of surfaces, and they have strict waste management protocols for infectious
materials. Isolation precautions for contagious patients. These measures collectively help
protect patients and healthcare workers from infections.