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| Communicable Diseases |
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| Communicable diseases are caused by the entry and development of living organisms such as virus, bacteria, protozoans, worms or fungi into the body. The organism causing the disease may be transmitted from one person to another by means of air, water, food, physical contact or insects (vectors). |
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| The following are some of the communicable diseases. We shall now study the cause, the symptoms, prevention and control of common diseases. |
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| This insect-borne disease is caused by a parasitic protozoan, plasmodium and is transmitted from person to person by the bite of an insect vector, the female anopheles mosquito. |
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| When a mosquito bites an infected person, the protozoa are sucked into the stomach of insect along with the blood and breed there. Within ten days the young ones of the protozoan are found in the salivary glands of the mosquito. The bite of this infected mosquito on a human being, will result in a small dose of the saliva along with protozoan, being injected into the person. These parasites complete their life-cycle when they enter the red blood corpuscles in man and destroy them. |
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| Symptoms |
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| High fever, headache, body ache, nausea and violent shivering (rigours) are some of the symptoms of malaria. Each malarial attack lasts for 6-10 hours and consists of the cold stage (shivering), hot stage (fever) and sweating stage (temperature goes down to normal). The fever is repeated on the third or fourth day. This leads to general weakness in the patient. The disease may also lead to enlargement of the liver and spleen. |
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| Prevention |
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| Efforts must be made to prevent mosquitoes from biting and also prevent them from breeding. Following are some such methods: |
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 Use wire mesh on doors and windows to prevent entry of mosquitoes into the house |
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 Use mosquito repellents to prevent mosquito bites |
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 Spray kerosene on stagnant water bodies or introduce fishes that feed on mosquito larva into the water bodies, so that the larvae are killed |
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| Example of larvae eating fishes: gamburia, minnows, trouts |
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 Spray insecticides into dark corners where adult mosquitoes hide and kill them |
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 Clean tanks and sumps regularly |
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 Do not allow rain water to collect and stagnate in the garden |
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| Quinine which is an extract from the cinchona tree is used to manufacture chloroquinine. This is the drug for the treatment of malaria. |
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| This is an air borne disease caused by a virus called myxovirus influenzae. |
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| Symptoms |
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| Running nose, sneezing, coughing, body ache and fever are some of the symptoms of this disease. |
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| Prevention |
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| Avoid physical contact with patients suffering with flu. |
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| Control |
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| Being viral there is no known control for influenza. Fortunately it is self limiting. Relief can be given to the patient by administering a paracetemol (like crocin) but this by itself it is not a cure. |
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| Jaundice is the disease that effects the liver which is caused by viral infection. The types of hepatitis are A, B, C, D, E and G. |
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| Symptoms |
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| Liver being a major organ connected with the digestive system, it affects digestion adversely. There is loss of appetite, eyes and skin turn yellow. Urine is dark yellow and stools are light yellow. The other symptoms are headache, temperature and pain in the joints. |
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| Prevention |
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 Use potable water that is chlorinated, boiled, filtered and ozonised |
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 Prevent infection through physical contact by washing hands thoroughly after handling any article used by the patient |
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 Hepatitis-B vaccine should be taken to prevent the disease |
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| Control |
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 Interferon injection may be administered by the physician to control the disease |
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 Adequate rest is required for the patient to recover fast |
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 Sugarcane juice, radish with jaggery are recommended |
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 Fats should be avoided and protein taken within limits |
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| This is a canine disease which is transmitted to man through the bite of a mad dog (rabid) or other rabid mammals such as monkeys, cats or rabbits. This is a viral disease caused by a rabies virus, which is present in the saliva of the infected animal. The incubation period is 1-3 months. |
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| Symptoms |
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| The patient develops severe headache, high fever, painful contractions of the throat muscles and chest. Hydrophobia (fear of water) sets in as the virus selectively attacks the brain i.e., the nervous system. Damage to the central nervous system causes paralysis and painful death. |
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| Prevention |
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 Wash the wound with carbolic soap, and clean water without delay soon after the bite. Apply an antiseptic and consult the doctor for anti rabies vaccine. |
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 Pet dogs or cats should be immunized by getting them vaccinated with anti-rabies vaccine |
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 A rabid dog can be easily identified because it will show excessive salivation and try to seek isolation after biting. To prevent further transmission of the disease the dog should be killed. |
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 Rabies can be treated by Pasteur's treatment |
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| A course of 14 vaccines are administered. Fine anti rabies vaccines are prescribed at an interval 0-3-7-14-30 days of the bite. |
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| Control |
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| There is no cure once the disease spreads. |
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