Question

What are communicable diseases? Explain any two communicable diseases.

Answer 1

Infectious Diseases:

• The diseases which are caused by some pathogens (Bacteria/viruses/Other animals).
• They are capable of being transmitted from person to person.
• Their infection is through air or food or water or blood contact or body contact or other vectors.

Diseases caused by Bacteria:

1. Leprosy or Hansen’s Diseases:
2. It is caused by the infection of Mycobacterium leprae bacteria.
3. In this disease, the nervous system, muscle, skin etc. gets badly affected. The symptoms of the disease start to appear from 1 to 7 years.
4. The disease spreads through the discharge released from wounds. Staying with the patient for a long time may also spread the disease. Leprosy is found only in humans. Symptom: Deformatiy in finger & toes.
5. Type: Leprosy is mainly of three types –
   1. Tuberculoid:

• A patient suffering from tuberculoid leprosy has high immune power.
• In this disease scales and wounds appear on the skin. The hands-legs and fingers twists (bends).

Lepromatous:

• Patients suffering from Lepromatous leprosy disease have compromised immune power.
• In this disease bacterial cells aggregates and appear in the form of Globi. Lumps emerge on the surface.
• Very high numbers of wounds are also seen in such patients.

Borderline:

1. Patients suffering from Borderline Leprosy exhibit symptoms of both tuberculoid and lepromatous leprosy. Skin becomes scaly, lumps emerges and wounds also appears.

Prevention:

• Patients suffering from leprosy should be kept in isolation from healthy normal people.
• Clothes & other belongings used by them should not be used by others.

2. Tuberculosis:

• It is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria.
• These bacteria can infect any body part bill commonly infect lungs.
• The infection occurs mainly by droplets. Also spreads through water.
• These bacteria release a toxin called tuberculin which degenerates body tissues.
• Test: Mantoux test

Symptoms:

• This disease results in a cough and fever. Bodyweight decreases and man feel tiredness. The eyes get stuck inside.
• Appetite decreases, as a result, the person becomes weak.
• Germs of the pulmonary TB enters in the atmosphere through spitting, mucus, sneezing and sputum of the diseased person and through respiration, these germs enter in the body of any healthy person.
• When there is less immunity in the body then the pathogens multiply very rapidly and comes out with sputum. Some times blood also appears in the sputum.

Prevention:

• The person should take special precautions to protect himself from the disease. The diseased person should be kept in isolation.
• His clothes, utensils etc. should be cleaned by boiling using water. The sputum, stool etc. of the diseased person should be put down in the soil.
• One should not use hookah, beedi, cigarette etc. used by others.

Vaccination:

• Complete prevention is possible by BCG (Bacille Calmette Guerin) Vaccine.