Infections and infectious diseases

Infections and infectious diseases are a great burden to man. Man is surrounded by bacteria, viruses and other causative agents that is communicable and their severity could be high and possibly lead to death. To reduce that burden an integrated approach is required through combining knowledge of public health, disease prevention approach and human diseases information. According to the World Health Organization, the prerequisite for success in this fight is the participation of all to know more about infection prevention practices.

We must know that infectious diseases:-

• They live within us;
• They live in our environment;
• They can cause harm; and
• We can prevent them

Be aware of infectious diseases modes of transmission

Blood borne: through sexual transmission, injury or inoculation.

Airborne: through inhalation of small particles that remain suspended in the air for long periods and can be widely dispersed by air currents.

Droplet and through inhalation: Droplet transmission differ as the particles are larger and therefore do not remain suspended in the air. Spread is therefore through close contact with infected persons who may be sneezing, coughing, talking, or undergoing airway procedures surgeries.

Contact: through direct or indirect contact. Direct is the transfer of organisms by contact with contaminated hands.

Common vehicle: through food, water, drugs, blood or other solutions

Vector-borne: usually through arthropods such as mosquitoes, animals, bats, Pangolins and ticks but cockroaches, ants and flies can also transmit infection.

We are surrounded by infections and infectious diseases, it may lead to death and organ failure.