Infectious Diseases By Christine Herrmann, PhD BioEd Online

Infectious Diseases By Christine Herrmann, PhD BioEd Online

Infectious Diseases - Definitions Disease – a pathological condition of body parts or tissues characterized by an identifiable group of signs and symptoms. Infectious disease – disease caused by an infectious agent such as a bacterium, virus, protozoan, or fungus that can be passed on to others. Infection – occurs when an infectious agent enters the body and begins to reproduce; may or may not lead to disease. Pathogen – an infectious agent that causes disease. Host – an organism infected by another organism. Virulence – the relative ability of an agent to cause rapid and severe disease in a host. BioEd Online

Infectious Diseases as a Cause of Death Infectious diseases are responsible for a quarter to a third of all deaths worldwide. Infectious diseases account for more than half of all deaths in children under the age of 5. Of the top ten causes of death compiled by the World Health Organization, five are due to infectious diseases. The top single agent killers are HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. The other top killers are lower respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases, which are caused by a variety of agents. BioEd Online

Infectious Diseases Throughout History Infectious agents have probably always caused disease in humans. Smallpox has been described in ancient Egyptian and Chinese writings and may have been responsible for more deaths than all other infectious diseases combined. There is evidence that malaria and poliomyelitis have existed since ancient times. In the 14th Century, the bubonic plague, or Black Death, killed about 20 million people in Europe alone. In the 20th Century, the 1918 influenza may have killed up to 50 million people worldwide Close to 20 million people have died of AIDS to date. BioEd Online Courtesy of CDC Recreated 1918 Influenza virions. The 1918 Spanish flu killed more than 500,000 people in the United States and up to 50 million worldwide.

Koch’s Postulates Koch developed four criteria to demonstrate that a specific disease is caused by a particular agent. 1. The specific agent must be associated with every case of the disease. 2. The agent must be isolated from a diseased host and grown in culture. 3. When the culture-grown agent is introduced into a healthy susceptible host, the agent must cause the same disease. 4. The same agent must again be isolated from the infected experimental host. BioEd Online

Infectious Disease Agents Most infectious agents that cause disease are microscopic in size and thus, are called microbes or microorganisms. Different groups of agents that cause disease are: Bacteria Viruses Protozoa (Protists) Fungi Helminths (Animals) Courtesy of CDC BioEd Online

Transmission of Infectious Diseases Agents that cause infectious diseases can be transmitted in many ways. Through the air Through contaminated food or water Through body fluids By direct contact with contaminated objects By animal vectors such as insects, birds, bats, etc. BioEd Online Courtesy of VOA Chinese students wearing masks during a SARS outbreak Courtesy of CDC Aedes aegypti mosquito Known to transmit Dengue fever

Phases of Infectious Disease Incubation period – time between infection and the appearance of signs and symptoms. Prodromal phase – mild, nonspecific symptoms that signal onset of some diseases. Clinical phase – a person experiences typical signs and symptoms of disease. Decline phase - subsidence of symptoms. Recovery phase – symptoms have disappeared, tissues heal, and the body regains strength. BioEd Online

Classification of Infectious Disease By duration Acute – develops and runs its course quickly. Chronic – develops more slowly and is usually less severe, but may persist for a long, indefinite period of time. Latent – characterized by periods of no symptoms between outbreaks of illness. By location Local – confined to a specific area of the body. Systemic – a generalized illness that infects most of the body with pathogens distributed widely in tissues. By timing Primary – initial infection in a previously healthy person. Secondary – infection that occurs in a person weakened by a primary infection. BioEd Online

How Infectious Agents Cause Disease Production of poisons, such as toxins and enzymes, that destroy cells and tissues. Direct invasion and destruction of host cells. Triggering responses from the host’s immune system leading to disease signs and symptoms. BioEd Online Courtesy of CDC Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV-1 virions can be seen on surface of lymphocytes.

Example of an Infectious Disease - Flu Acute contagious disease caused by the influenza virus. Respiratory tract infection, but symptoms felt throughout entire body. Epidemics occur seasonally with low fatality; more deadly pandemics occur several times each century. Highly changeable virus that can infect multiple species, including humans, pigs, and birds. Concern exists that current avian flu will lead to a new pandemic. BioEd Online

Example of an Infectious Disease AIDS AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the disease caused by the virus called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). HIV attacks cells of the immune system and destroys their ability to fight infection by other agents. HIV is spread through the direct exchange of body fluids. There is a long period of time from HIV infection to the onset of AIDS. Anti-HIV drugs prolong the length and quality of life, but there is no vaccine or cure for AIDS. BioEd Online Courtesy of CDC This highly magnified transmission electron micrographic (TEM) image revealed the presence of mature forms of the human virus immunodeficiency (HIV) in a tissue sample under investigation.

Reducing the Spread of Infectious Diseases Vaccines Antimicrobial drugs Good personal hygiene and sanitation Protection against mosquitoes Quarantine BioEd Online

Emerging Infectious Diseases Emerging diseases are those that have recently appeared within a population, or whose incidence or geographic range is increasing rapidly. Diseases can emerge or re-emerge due to: appearance of a previously unknown agent. evolution of a new infectious agent. spread of an infectious agent to a new host. spread of an infectious agent to new locations. acquisition of resistance to anti-microbial drugs. deliberate introduction into a population. BioEd Online