Different sicknesses have different background causes. It seems confusing sometime. Hence, each society has its own ways of telling what causes sickness. If a child, for example, has diarrhea. Some say it is because the child is not given the name of the ancestors. So, the spirits are angry. But the scientists will say it is because of infection. Others will keep on speculating the cause of the disease.

In a scientific view, sickness has a combination of causes.  To prevent it, a person has to have a full understanding of its root causes.

Sicknesses are divided into two groups: infectious and non-infectious. Infectious are those which can spread from person to person or from animals to people. This can occur in any form either through direct contact or airborne, for example, flu. Noninfectious are those which can not spread in any form, for example, blood pressure. Different diseases based on their categories have different medications. You should know that, antibiotics are not meant for noninfectious diseases.

Causes and Transmission of Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms. The degree of causes and spreading depends much on the virulent factors of a pathogenic microorganism. They can spread in different ways depending on different virulent factors of microbes.

They are also called contagious diseases these are diseases that are transmitted by direct or indirect contact. Direct contract is by skin to skin contact like touching an infected person. Indirect contact is by handling contaminated objects like clothing, bedding, dressing and utensils. This indirect contact disease tends to occur within households, children’s playgrounds, schools and workplaces.

Transmission is facilitated by high population density, overcrowding, poor hygiene and close personal contact. Control can be direct at:

• Source (elimination of the reservoir by case finding, treatment of individual cases, mass treatment or isolation of cases).
• The route (improving the environment, refusal disposal, water supply, living condition, housing, personal hygiene and education).
• Susceptible persons (health education with behavioral change.

Vector-Borne Diseases

Vectors are invertebrate hosts (insects, mosquito, ticks and snails). They are an essential part of the life cycle of the disease causative organism. Thus, a vector-borne is a disease whose transmission requires a vector. Part of the life cycle of the causative organism takes place within the vector without causing disease. The organism is then carried to another host, where it causes disease. They are taken for development of the organism outside the human body is called extrinsic incubation period.

Note that a housefly that carries organisms on its body and contaminates food is not regarded as a vector. It simply mechanically transmits the disease. Vectors acquire disease organisms by sucking blood from infected persons or animals and pass them on by the same route. Note that infection enter skin cracks or abrasions. This can happen either from infected insect feces deposited when feeding or from body fluid when an insect is crushed.

Microorganisms are small living organisms which can not be seen with naked eyes. It requires microscope to see a bacteria and some viruses. There are some special cases for some parasites; they can be seen without even a microscope. Viruses can not be affected by any antibiotic, instead they can harm your body is wrongly used. Hence, it is easier for them to be carried with even small vectors. They can be transmitted to a secondary host where they cause a disease.

Vector-Borne Diseases are invertebrate hosts. These include insects, mosquito, ticks, and snails. They are an essential part of the life cycle of the disease causative organism. Hence a vector-borne is a disease whose transmission requires a vector (i.e. part of the life cycle of the causative organism takes place within the vector). They are taken for development of the organism outside the human body is called extrinsic incubation period.

Note that a housefly that carries organisms on its body and contaminates food is not regarded as a vector. It simply mechanically transmits the disease. Vectors acquire disease organisms by sucking blood from infected persons or animals and pass them on by same route. Note that infection enter skin cracks or abrasions through infected insect feces deposited when feeding. Infection can also enter from body fluid when an insect is crushed.