COMPILATION OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

A PROJECT IN COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH

VIRATA, ABIGAIL M.

BSMT 2-1

201710516

WHAT IS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE?

Infectious diseases are disorders caused by organisms — such as bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. Many
organisms live in and on our bodies. They're normally harmless or even helpful, but under certain conditions, some
organisms may cause disease.

1. Bacteria- Bacteria are prokaryotes, which consist of a single cell with a simple internal structure. Bacteria are
microscopic single-celled organisms that thrive in diverse environments. They can live within soil, in the ocean and
inside the human gut.

2. Virus- A virus is a biological agent that reproduces inside the cells of living hosts. When infected by a virus, a host
cell is forced to produceof identical copies of the original virus at an extraordinary rate.

3. Fungi- Fungi constitute a large, diverse group of heterotrophic organisms, most of which are found as saprobes in
the soil and on decomposing organic matter.

4. Parasites- A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of
its host.
Infectious Diseases
1. INFLUENZA - Highly communicable disease characterized by abrupt onset with fever which last 1 to 6 days. Chilly sensation or chills,
aches or pain in the back and limbs with prostrations. Respiratory symptoms include coryza, sore throat and cough.

Causative agent: Influenza virus A, B, C.

Source of infection: Discharges from the mouth and nose of infected person

Mode of transmission: By direct contact, through droplet infection, or by articles freshly soiled with discharge of nose and throat of infected
person.

Period of communicability: Probably limited to 3 days from clinical onset

2. PNEUMONIAS – An acute infectious disease of the lungs usually caused by the pneumococcus resulting in the consolidation of one or
more lobes of either one or both lungs.

Causative agent: Majority of cases due to Streptococcus pneumoniae. Occasionally Klebsiella pneumoniae, Viruses, Fungi: Pneumocystis
jirovechi (Pneumocystis carinii), Parasites: does that cause heart to lung migration (Ascaris lumbricoides, Stronyloides stercoralis,
Hookworms).

Predisposing Causes: Fatigue, Overexposure to inclement weather (extreme hot or cold), exposure to polluted air, malnutrition

3. CHOLERA (EI TOR) - An acute serious illness characterized by sudden onset of acute and profuse colorless diarrhea, vomiting, severe
dehydration, muscular cramps, cyanosis and severe cases collapse.

Causative agent: Vibrio cholera e (EI Tor)

Source of infection: Vomitus and feces of infected persons and feces of convalescent or healthy carriers.

Mode of transmission: Food and water contaminated with vomitus and stool of patients and carrier

4. TUBERCULOSIS – A highly contagious bacterial infection, usually affecting the lungs but can also affect other organs of the body like brain,
kidney, intestine and bones.

Causative agent: Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mode of transmission: Inhalation of infective droplets present in the air

5. LEPROSY – is an infectious disease and is a leading cause of permanent physical disability among the communicable disease.

Causative agent: Mycobacterium leprae

Mode of transmission:

1. Airborne – inhalation of droplet/spray from coughing and sneezing of untreated patient

2. Prolonged skin to skin contact

6. SCHISTOSOMIASIS – also known as the Bilhariasis or snail fever has a long been one of the important tropical disease of our country. It is
caused by blood fluke that is transmitted by a tiny small Oncomelania hupensi quadrasi
Causative agent:

Shcistosoma japonicum – intestinal parasite

Schistosoma mansoni – rectum parasite

Schistosoma haematobium – urinary bladder

Mode of transmission: Infection occurs when the skin comes in contact with contaminated fresh water in which certain types of snails that
carry Schistosomes are living. It is a free-swimming larval form (cerecaria) of the parasites that penetrates the skin. Fresh water becomes
contaminated when infected people urinated or defecate in water.

7. PARAGONIMIASIS – It is a chronic parasitic infection, which greatly reduces human productivity and quality of life.

Causative agent: Paragonimus westermani (lung fluke) is the most common important causative agent in Asia.

Mode of transmission:

1. Ingestion of raw insufficiently cooked infected crabs

2. Contamination of food or utensil with metaceracaria during food preparation..

3. Drinking of contaminated water with infective larvae.

8. SOIL TRANSMITTED HELMINTHIASIS (STH) – It is the third most prevalent infection worldwide second only to the diarrheal disease and
tuberculosis.

Causative agents:

Ascaris lumbricoides (Giant intestinal roundworm)

Trichuris trichiura (whipworm)

Hookworm

Ancyclostoma duodenale (Old world hookworm)

Necator americanus (New world hookworm)

9. MEASLES (VIRAL INFECTION) – An acute highly communicable infection characterized by fever, rashes and symptoms referable to upper
respiratory tract.

Causative agent: Measles Virus

Pathogenomic Sign: Grayish Recks (inner surface of cheeks)

Secondary Symptoms: Pneumonia

Source of infection: Secretion of nose and the throat of infective person

Mode of transmission: By droplet spread or direct contact with infected persons or directly through articles freshly soiled with secretions of
nose and throat.

Incubation period: 10 days from exposure to appearance of fever or with acute catarrhal symptoms

10. CHICKEN POX (VARICELLA-VIRAL INFECTION) – An acute infectious disease of sudden onset with slight fever. Mild constitutional
symptoms and eruption which are maculopapular for few hours, vesicular for 3-4 days and leaves granular scabs.

Causative agent: Varicella-Zoster virus, Herpes Simples Virus Type 3 (Herpes Viridae)

Source of infection: Secretion of respiratory tract of infected person. Lesion of skin are of little consequence. Scabs themselves are not
inefective.
Mode of transmission: Direct contact or droplet spread. Indirect through articles soiled by discharges of infected persons.

11. MUMPS (EPIDEMIC PAROTITIS-VIRAL INFECTION) – An acute contagious characterized by swelling of one or both parotid (salivary
glands), usually occurring in epidemic areas.

Causative agents: Mumps virus, a member of the family Paramyxoviridae

Source of infection: Secretion of the mouth and nose

Mode of transmission: Direct contact with a person who has the disease or by contact with articles in his intermediate environment which
have become freshly soiled with secretion from the nasopharynx.

12. DIPHTHERIA (BACTERIAL INFECTION) – An acute febrile infection of the tonsil, throat, nose, larynx or a wound marked by a patch or
patches of grayish membrane from which the diphtheria bacillus is readily cultured.

Causative agent: Corynebacterium diptheriae

Pathognomonic sign: Grayish Membrane (pseudo membranous); Colitis – inflammed (colon); Metachromatic Granules- lying on the cell wall
of a bacteria

Source of infection: Discharges and secretions from mucus surface of nose and nasopharynx and from skin other lesions.

Mode of transmission: Contact with patient or carrier or with articles soiled with discharges of infected persons. Milk has served as a
vehicle.

13. WHOOPING COUGH (PERTUSSIS/100 DAYS COUGH-BACTERIAL INFECTION) – Acute infection of respiratory tract. it begins as an ordinary
cold which in typical case increasingly severe, and after the second week is attended by paroxysm of cough ending in a characteristics
whoop as the breath is drawn in.

Causative agent: Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus Pertussis, Bordet Gengo Bacilli

Source of infection: Discharges from laryngeal and bronchial mucous membrane

Mode of transmission: Direct spread through respiratory and salivary contacts, crowding and close association with patients facilitate
spread.

14. TETANUS NEONATORUM AND TETANUS AMONG OLDER AGE GROUP (BACTERIAL INFECTION) – Acute disease induced by strain of
Tetanus bacilli growing anaerobically in wounds and at the umbilicus among infants. Characterized by muscle contractions.

Causative agent: Clostridium tetani (Tetanus bacilli)

Source of infection: Immediate source of infection is soil, street dust, animals and human feces.

Mode of transmission: Usually occurs through contamination of the unhealed umbilical cord stump.

15. BACILLARY DYSENTERY (SHIGELLOSIS) – An acute bacterial infection of the intestine characterized by diarrhea, fever and in severe cases
bloody mucoid stools.

Source of infection: Frequent in infants and in elderly debilitated persons.

Causative agent: Shigella, there are four main groups:

1. Shigella Dysenteriae

2. Shigella Flexneri

3. Shigella Boydii

4. Shigela Sonnei

Source of infection: Feces of infected persons, many in apparent mild and unrecognized infection.

Mode of transmission: Eating of contaminated foods, drinking contaminated water, by hand to mouth transfer of contaminated materials,
by flies, by objects soiled with feces of a patient or carrier.

16. TYPHOID (BACTERIAL INFECTION) – Systemic infection characterized by continued fever, malaise, anorexia, slow pulse, involvement of
lymphoid tissue, Splenomegaly, rose spots on trunks and diarrhea.

Causative agent: Salmonella typhii

Source of infection: Feces and urine of infected person, family contact may be transient carrier.

Mode of transmission: Direct or indirect contact with patient or carrier. Principal vehicles are food and water. Contamination is usually by
hands of carrier. Flies are vectors.

17. HEPATITIS A – A form of hepatitis occurring either sporadically or in epidemics or in epidemics and caused by virus introduced by focally
contaminated water or food.

Causative agent: Hepatitis A virus

Source of infection: The disease is spread primarily through food or water contaminated by stool from an infected person

Mode of transmission: Transmitted primarily by the fecal-oral route

18. LEPTOSPIROSIS – Also called as Well’s disease, Mud fever, Trench fever, Flood fever, Spiroketal jaundice, Japanese seven days fever. A
worldwide zoonotic disease although pigs, cattle, rabbis, and other wild animals can also serve as reservoir hosts.

Causative agent: Leptospira interrogans

Mode of transmission: Through contact of skin, especially open wounds with water, moist soil or vegetation contaminated with urine or
infected host.

19. RABIES (HYDROPHOBIA, LYSSA) – It is an acute viral encephalomyelitis caused by the Rabies virus, a rhabdovirus of the genus Lyssavirus.

Mode of transmission: Usually by bites of a rabid animal whose saliva has the virus. The virus may also be introduced into a scratch of in
fresh breaks in the skin (very rare) transmission from man to man is possible.

20. SCABIES – A communicable disease of the skin characterized by eruptive lesions produced by the burrowing of the female parasite into
the skin.

Causative organism: Sarcoptes scabiel, itch mite

Mode of transmission: The disease is transmitted by direct contact with infected individuals or their clothing and bedding

21. ANTHRAX (MALIGNANT PUSTULE, MALIGNANT EDEMA WOOLSORTER’S DISEASE-BACTERIAL INFECTION) – An acute bacterial disease
usually affecting the skin but which may vary rarely involves the oropharynx, lower respiratory tract, mediastinum or intestinal tract.

Causative agent: Bacillus Anthracis

Types:

1. Cutaneous Anthrax

- Most common type of anthrax

-Lesion is not painful

-Through conract with animals

2. Pulmonary Anthrax

- Through inhalation of Spores

3. Gastro-Intestinal Anthrax

-Through ingestion of meat of infected host

Mode of transmission: Cutaneous infection is by contact with tissues of animals dying of the disease, possibly by biting flies that had
partially fed on such animals. Contaminated hair, wool, hides or products made from them such as drums or brushes. Contact with soil
associated with infected animals.

22. MENINGOCOCCEMIA – The diseaseis usually sporadic (cases occur alone or may affect household members with intimate contact).

Causative agent: Neisseria meningitides

Source of infection: Respiratory droplets from nose and throat of infected person

Mode of transmission: Direct contact with respiratory droplets from nose and throat of infected persons. Carrier may exist without cases of
meningitis.

23. BIRD FLU/AVIAN INFLUENZA – It is a disease of birds ranging from mild to severe form of illness. All birds are thought to be susceptible
to infection with avian influenza, though some species are more resistant than others.

Causative agent: H5N1 Virus

Source of infection: Viruses that normally infect only birds and less commonly pigs

Mode of transmission: From bird to human direct or close contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces.

24. SARS (SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME) V.I – It is a newly recognized form of a typical pneumonia that had been described in
patient in Asia, North America and Europe.

Causative agent: It is a novel human corona virus based on serological and molecular tests done on specimens from SARS patients.

Mode of transmission: Close contact with respiratory droplet secretion from SARS patient. Transmission occurs when another person’s
mucous membrane are exposed to droplet secretions when a SARS patient coughs, sneezes or talks.
25. FILARIASIS – Chronic parasitic infection caused by nematode parasite.

Mode of transmission: The disease is transmitted to a person through bites from an infected female mosquito.

Vectors: Wuchereria – Aedes poecilus, Anopheles minismus flavirostris, Brugia pimori, Mansoni bonnaea, Mansoni uniformis

26. MALARIA - is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female
Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable.

Infectious agents: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium knowlesi

Mode of transmission: Through the bite of an infected female mosquito or directly from one person to another by passage of blood
containing erythrocytic parasites.

27. DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER (H-FEVER) - A syndrome due to the dengue virus that tends to affect children under 10, causing
abdominal pain, hemorrhage (bleeding) and circulatory collapse (shock).

Etiologic agent: Dengue virus types 1,2,3,4 and 5

Source of infection: Immediate source is a vector or mosquito, the Aedes aegypti or the common household mosquito (Aedes albopictus).

28. SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS (STI) – Many STIs can be treated and cure relatively easily and cheaply if diagnosed early enough.
From among the STI, the most common treatable are: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Trichomoniasis, and Syphillis.

I. BACTERIAL STI

a. Gonorrhea – caused by Neisseria gonorrhae

Mode of transmission: Sexual contact in adult, transmission in neonates is during birth.

b. Syphillis – caused by Treponems pallidum

Mode of transmission: Transmission of syphilis can occur during vaginal, anal, or oral sex.

c. Chlamydia – Chalmydia trachomatis

Mode of transmission: Through sexual contact and birth

II. PARASITIC STI

a. Trichomoniasis – caused by Trichomonas vaginalis

Mode of transmission: Usually passed by direct sexual contact. Can be transmitted through contact with wet objects such as towels, wash
clothes, etc.

III. VIRAL STI

a. AIDS (ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME)

Causative agent: HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)

Mode of transmission: Sexual contact, transfer of body fluids (blood, semen, discharges), contaminated syringe, trans placental.

b. Genital Herpes – caused by Herpes simplex Virus type 2 (HSV2)

Mode of transmission: Sexual contact in adult and during passage through the birth canal in neonates.

c. Hepatitis B – caused by Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)

Mode of transmission: Sexual intercourse, also transmitted through blood and during birth.