Class :- 9TH

Subject :-
BIOLOGY
Chapter :- 4
{ Why Do We
Fall ILL } {By Deepak }

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Topic :- Health
The term Health is very frequently used daily by everybody . Health means being well.
According to World Health Organisation {WHO} , 1948 health is *a state of complete
physical mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.*

Health may be defned as a state of being well enough to function well physically , mentally
and socially .

According to the defnition given by WHO , health can be explained as multi-dimensional

concept as the person appears , works and behaves on this basis . Health can be classifed into
three dimensions - physical , mental and social .

(I) Physical dimension :- Physical health basically refers to the proper functioning of all body
parts. It means different organs and organ systems perform their functions in a pertect way.
It can be checked by various bio-medical tests.

(ii) Mental dinmension :- It refers to the happiness ana harmony between people and
maintaining a healthy environment. A person who is mentally sound, is free from tension,
anxiety and thus he can perform well. Mental health is difcult to assess.

(iii) Social dimension :- It refers to interactions between a person and the society in which
he/she lives. We live in groups and are readily able to interact with each other, If the person
acquires all the basic requirements of life such as clean iving places, fnancial stability and
good quality of food, maintains good interactions with the neighbours and friends and live a
smooth and happy life, he is healthy. Social health is also difcult to judge.

Thus Health is considered as sound mind and a disease-free body living in a good
environment. Our mind affects our body's protection system, i.e., the immune system and
our immune system maintains our health .

A person expect to be healthy , if he shows :-

◆ Not any kind of physiological problems and social problems

◆ Complete physical ftness .

◆ No mental illness .

◆ Absence of insufciency and imbalance of diet .

◆ No Heredity disorder .

◆ No infection .
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◆ No physical deformity .

◆ Free To anxiety .

◆ Proposeful living .

Personal and community issues both matter for Health.

Our health depends on our surrounding environment which is both physical and social. We
live in societies, in villages, small towns and cities. Our social environment at the place where
we live, decides Our physical environment and thus plays an important role in our individual
health, through public health services.

◆ Public health services :-

These services provide clean environment and protection from diseases. Healthcare services
are provided by government agencies or by social and voluntary organisations that play
important role to maintain public health. The objectives of public health services are as
follows :-

(i) Proper removal and disposal of garbage.

(ii) Proper drainage and removal of sewage .

(iii) Proper control of pests and vectors .

(iv) Provision for clean drinking water and unadulterated food.

(v) Provision of proper vaccination and health care facilities .

◆ Economic conditions :-

Money helps in providing food for every family. To obtain adequate and complete nutrition,
a{proper earning is very necessary. Therefore, properjob opportunities must be available in
the area where we live. So, we can say that good fnancial conditions and earmings are
necessary for individual health.

◆ Social equality and harmony :-

Sharing joys and sorrows and helping each other brings social equality and harmony. These
make an individual happy which is necessary for being healthy If we misbehave with others
and do not help people who are in need, we cannot be happy and healthy

◆ Personal hygiene :-

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It involves individual cleanliness. It can be easily maintained by washing the hands properly,
cleaning teeth regularly, taking care of ears and eyes, taking a bath and change of clothes
daily.

Vaccination at defnite time against various diseases and personal protection against disease
vectors are necessary for maintaining personal hygiene.

◆ Public awareness and health education :-

Various information about health and diseases must be imparted to people. So, for
maintaining good health, following are essential:

(i) Clean and hygienic surroundings which may be maintained by providing proper disposal
system of garbage, sewage, etc.

(ii) Availability of clean drinking water and adequate nutritious food (balanced diet).

(iii) Social equalíty and harmony .

(iv) Regular exercise and relaxation keeps us free from various diseases like heart problems,
obesityand mental illness.

(v) No addictions like smoking, drinking or taking drugs.

Difference between Healthy and a Disease free Person :-

Parameter Healthy Disease free

1.) State It is a State of physical mental and It is the absence of any uneasiness
social well-being of a person. discomfort or problem in any
body part or function .

2.) Dependence Health depends on the individual It is related to an individual only .

physical and social environment .

3.) Performance Healthy person is one who can Performance of disease free
perform well in all situation and is person depends on environment
energetic . and personal attitudes

4.) Disease free A healthy person will always be A disease free person can be
& Healthy disease - free . healthy or unhealthy .

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Topic :- Disease and Its Causes
This is can be defned as any deviation from normal functioning or state of complete physical
and mental well being .

When disease occurs in the body of an organism then the body does not function normally in
terms of the functions of organ organ systems . We cannot notice the change immediately if
they are internal . Abdisease is identifed with certain symptoms and Signs .

◆ Symptoms :-

The manifestations or evidences of the presence of diseases are called as symptoms.

They appear in the form of structural and functional changes in the body or certain specifc
body parts.

Some symptoms are wound with pus, cold, cough, vomiting, loose motions, abdominal pain,
headache, fever, etc. We cannot diagnose the exact disease on the basis of symptoms.

A particular symptom may arise due to a number of diseases. For example, headache may be
a manifestation of problem in eye-sight, increased blood pressure, stress and meningitis, etc.

Similarly, fever may be due to some viral infections, typhoid, malaria, etc. So, on the basis of
symptoms, we cannot identify the disease.

◆ Signs :-

The definite indications of a disease are called signs. These signs for a disease are
identifed on the basis of the visible symptoms. For further confrmation, the doctors use
certain instruments and laboratory tests to diagnose the disease .

Difference between Symptoms and Signs :-

Parameters Symptoms Signs

1.) Indications Indicate the presence of any Inform about the presence of a
disease . particular disease

2.) Manifestation of Collective manifestation of a Distinct for different diseases.

Disease(s) number of disease of specifc
parts of organs .

◆ Causes ◆

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Human health is affected by various factors or causes these causes may be immediate as
well as contributory and Third Level Causes .

1.) Immediate causes :-

These are regarded as the primary cause of disease . These are also called first level
causes . In case of infectious diseases , immediate causes are pathogens like virus, bacteria,
protozoa and fungus . Immediate causes are easily diagnosable. For example, if somebody
gets diarrhoea, we can diagnose the reason behind this is the infection caused by bacteria or
virus. The pathogens may reach the body through contaminated food and drinking water, air,
other articles, etc.

2.) Contributing causes :-

All people are not same in terms of susceptibility towards a disease. Some are more prone
towards disease and some do not catch a disease easily. The susceptibility toa disease is
related to nourishment and certain hereditary factors in people. Under-nourishment and
hereditary factors are the contributing causes or second level of causes in a particular
individual.

3.) Third level causes:- There are certain causes which make the body more prone
(vulnerable) towards catching a disease. These are called third level causes. Supply of
contaminated water for drinking purposes may make the body contract water-borne diseases.
Here poor public health services are the third level of causes. Poverty is the reason due to
which people lack proper nourishment and which may lead to diseases. So, poverty is the
third level cause.

◆ Factors which cause Disease ◆

Health of human beings can be altered or infuenced by different factors or sources which
cause diseases. Majority of diseases have more than one factors behind their spreading. On
the basis of action on human body, factors which cause diseases are classifed as- internal
factors and external factors.

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1.) Internal or Intrinsic factors :-

Internal or Intrinsic factors are those disease causing factors which are present inside the
body . The diseases which are caused due to intrinsic or internal factors are also called
organic or metabolic diseases .

Some Diseases caused sue to internal factors :-

Internal factors Diseases caused

1.) Malufunctioning of various organs Cardric failure or heart attack , myopia , cataract
of body

2.) Genetic disorder Haemophilia , colour blindness , Sickle Cell

anaemia

3.) Hormonal imbalances Grace's disease (Exophthalmos goitre ) , Diabetes ,

4.) Malfunctioning of immune system Allergies (like Asthma)

2.) External or Extrinsic factors :-

External factors are those factors which act on body from outside and affect its normal
functioning. Some important external factors are unbalanced or inadequate diet, pathogens,
environmental pollutants and tobacco, alcohol and narcotic drugs.

◆ Pathogens:-

Pathogens are microorganisms that cause diseases in living organisms. The pathogens
include bacteria, fungi, protozoans, worms, viruses, etc. These pathogens are transferred into
human body mainly through air. Other agents which help in the transfer of pathogens
include water, food, soil, physical contact and sexual contact.

◆ Unbalanced or Inadequate diet :-

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Unavailability of nutritious diet makes a person more prone to diseases. This is because due
to lack of nutrition, the person becomes unhealthy and has reduced ability to fght diseases.

Various diseases like night blindness, beriberi, scurvy, etc., occur in human beings due to
defciency of nutrients. Unbalanced diet also leads to obesity which causes a number of
diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

◆ Environmental pollution :-

Various pollutants are present in the environment like harmful gases ( CO2, SO2 , and NO),
solid particulate matter (SPM), chemicals released from industries, heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Ni,
Cd, As) and pesticides (DDT, BHC). These are also proven to be involved in causing infections
or diseases. Natural calamities, earthquakes, tsunami, cyclones and volcaniceruptions also
cause health problems indirectly in the people of affected areas.

◆ Tobacco, alcohol and narcotics drugs :-

Prolonged and continuous consumption of tobacco, alcohol and narcotics nmay make the
person addicted to it and can also lead to deformation in bodyorgans, chronic diseases and
even death.

Topic :- Types of Diseases

On the basis of duration for which a disease persists, di iseases are classified as acute
(short term) diseases and chronic (long term) diseases. Acute and chronic diseases have
different effects on the health of an individual.

1.) Acute diseases :-

Acute diseases are those diseases that occur suddenly and last only for a short duration of
time and are generally severe. The person suffering from any acute disease is not able to
perform his normal activity for few days. But, he recovers soon and leads a normal life. Acute
diseases are of small duration and do not cause any major adverse eftect on health. For
example, cough, cold, diarrhoea, infuenza, etc.

2.) Chronic diseases

Chronic diseases are those diseases which last for a long time, even lifetime. In the beginning
of the disease, it is mild but slowly it develops and becomes severe. The person suffering from
any chronic disease feels tired all the tinme, experiences shortness of breath, poor appetite
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and loss of weight. The person becomes unable to lead a normal life. Since the disease
remains for a longer period of time it causes major adverse health effects on the body. For
example, tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, etc.

On the basis whether the disease are present since birth or after birth , these may be
broadly classified into two types :-

1.) Congenital diseases :-

The diseases which are present since birth are called congenital diseases. Congenital diseases
are caused due to defective embryo development or defective inheritance, i.e., genetic
abnormality. For example, harelip, haemophilia and colour blindness.

2.) Acquired diseases :-

The diseases which occur after the birth of an individual are called acquired diseases. On the
basis of the ability to spread from one person to another, the acquired diseases are of
following two types :-

(i) Infectious (communicable) diseases .

(ii) Non-infectious (non-communicable) diseases.

◆ Infectious (Communicable) Diseases :-

The diseases which spread from the infected person to other person in various ways, i.e.,
through water, food, physical contact, etc., are called infectious diseases. Pathogens like virus,
bacteria, fungi, protozoans and different kinds of worms are the causative agents of these
diseases.

◆ Non-infectious (non-communicable) diseases :-

These are non-communicable diseases and they do not transfer from one person (diseased)
toanother person (healthy), but remain cofned in the person who is infected by these
diseases. Non- Communicable diseases occur mostly duè to intrinsic factors. Malfunctioning
of body organs like kidney leads to kidney failure, inadequate diet may lead to anaemia and
goitre, imbalance in the hormone secretion leads to dwarfsm and diabetes, immune system
disorder leads to allergies

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Means of Spread of communicable diseases
The communicable diseases are infectious and they can spread trom the person who is
intected to the person who is healthy. Different pathogens spread their infections by variety
of methods. The means of transmission of infection is of two types:-

(i) Direct transmission and (ii) Indirect transmission

◆ Direct Transmission of Diseases

In direct transmission, the disease-causing agents (pathogens) get transmitted from the
person who is infected to the
healthy person directly
without any intermediate
agent. It occurs in the
following ways:

1.) Physical Contact :-

In physical contact, the

infection affects the healthy
person by the actual
physicalcontact of the articles
used by infected person.These
type of diseases are called
contagious diseases.
For example, chickenpox,
small pox and ring worms.

2.) Sexual Contact :-

Sexual Contact is the closest physical contact between two persons. There are certain diseases
which get transmitted from intected person to the healthy person through sexual contact. For
example, sypnilis, AIDS, gonorrhoea, Hepatitis-B, etc. These diseases however do not get
transmitted by the casual or social physical contacts such as handshake or touching the
infected persons. AIDS virus also spreads through blood contact, blood transfusion, use of
common needle and syringe, rather than sexual contact.

3.) Soil contact :-

Some intectious agents may enter the body through soil in case of any open injury or wound.
For example, tetanus.

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4.) Bites of animals :-

Animal bites can also spread communicable diseases. For example, the bite of a rabid dog or
monkeymay cause rabies in humans.

5.) Placental transmission :-

Placenta connects the foetus to mother's womb through umbilical cord. This may also
causetransmission of various diseases. For example, virus of German measles, AlDS virus,
syphilis, etc.

◆ Indirect Transmission of Diseases :-

It is the transmission of pathogens of diseases through an intermediate agent like air, water,
food or any vector. Indirect transmission may occur by following means - air, contaminated
food and water, vectorsand fomite borne.

1.) Air

Air is a common indirect means of

transmissionof infections. Many
infectious agents are transmitted
from an infected person to a healthy
person through air, dust and droplets.
When an infected person sneezes,
coughs or spits, the healthy person
sitting or standing close inhales this
air containing droplets and can catch
the disease . You may have
experienced that you often catch cold
if someone in your family is having it.
The air-borne diseases like Common
cold and Tuberculosis can spread through rapidly in crowded places .

2.) Contaminated food and water :-

There are various diseases that can spread through the use of contaminated food and water.
Cholera and diarrhoea are caused by the microbes which enter the host through drinking
water and food. Some of the other diseases include jaundice, amoebic dysentery, hepatitis,
ascariasis, etc. These are mostly found to occur due to the mixing of faecal matter of infected
person suffering from disease with the food and drinking water either directly or indirectly.

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3.) Vectors :-

Certain living organisms that may spread the pathogens from an infected to a healthy person
are called vectors. These vectors are often termed as carriers as some of them carry a part of
life cycle of pathogens in their bodies and transfer them to host and some transfer the
pathogen without taking them in the body. Most of the insects are regarded as major vectors.
Blood-sucking insects can readily transmit the disease by their bite on the body of an
organism. Typhus, plague and sleeping sickness are caused by house, rat fea and tse-tse fy
respectively.

Housefy is responsible for carrying the pathogens that cause cholera, typhoid, dysentery and
diarrhoea on their legs and some of the mouth parts. The female mosquito of many species
cause various diseases by acting as a vectok Malaria is spread through female Anopheles
mosquito while flariasis is spread through Culex mosquitó. Blood is required to obtain
nutrients for laying of eggs by these mosquitoes and so, the female mosquitoes feed on the
blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals.

4.) Fomite borne :-

The articles that are being used by the infected person can also act as a source of infection for
the healthy person. For example, door handles, utensils, garments, towels, etc.

Principles of Treatment
Infectious diseases can be treated in two ways :-

1.) To Reduce the Effect of Disease (Symptom Directed Treatment)

The effect of the disease can be reduced by the symptomatic treatment. The treatment
provided to a patient can reduce the symptoms which are usually due to infammations. For
example, medicines are given to reduce fever, pain and diarrhoea. Bed rest can be another
option for the preservance of our energy. These steps help us to heal but do not remove the
disease-causing microorganisms and are therefore inadequate. In order to completely cure
the disease we need to kill the microbes/ pathogens.

2.) To Kill the Cause of Disease

The most common method to kill disease-causing microbes is to use medicines that kill
microbes. We have earlier studied that disease-causing microbes are classifed into diferent
groups such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoans. Each of these groups of microbes have
some essential biochemical life processes which are peculiar to that group and not shared

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with the other groups. Our cells have different pathways than the ones used by these
microbes groups. Therefore, we fnd a drug that blocks, for example, the bacterial
biochemical pathway without affecting our own. This is what is achieved by antibiotics.
Similarly, there are drugs that kill protozoans such as malarial parasite.

It is difcult to make anti-viral medicines than to make anti-bacterial drugs. One reason is
that viruses have few biochemical mechanisms of their own. They enter host's cells and use
host's cell machinery for their life processes. This implies that there are relatively few virus-
specifc targets to aim at. Despite this limitation, effective anti-viral drugs are available, e.g.,
drugs to keep HIV infection under control.

Principles of Prevention .
During the treatment of an infectious disease following three limitations are observed.

(i) When an individual suffers from a disease, the functions of his body get impaired and may
alsonever recover completely.

(ii) During the period of treatment, the patient is restricted to the bed for proper rest.

(iii) The person who is infected may also spread the infection to other healthy individuals in
the family or community.

Thus, prevention is always better than cure. To prevent the transmission of infectious
diseases, certain preventive measures may prove useful. Infectious diseases can be prevented
by following two ways -

(i) General ways & (ii) Specific ways.

Gerneral ways of Prevention of Infectious Diseases .

1.) Public health measures :-

(I) Overcrowding :- The spread of contagious and air-borne infections are most likely to
Occur in Overcrowded places. Proper spacing at home, school, ofces and public places is
necessary to check the spread of diseases.

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(ii) Sanitation :- Hygiene is one of the most important factors for the prevention of infectious
Diseases. Garbage, sewage water and open drains are among the major sources which can
cause a broad spectrum of diseases. Proper disposal of garbage and sewage, proper cleaning
and Covering of open drains are some useful sanitation measures to keep the surroundings
clean and prevent diseases and infections.

(iii.) Eradication of vectors :- If clean environment is provided, vector-borne infections can

be prevented. Adult vectors should be killed by proper methods like spraying insecticides.
The place of mating or breeding of vectors must also be destroyed completely in neighbouring
areas. For example, flling of ditches prevents collection of water and breeding of mosquitoes.

(iv) Sterilisation :- This is a very important process in terms of cleanliness and maintaining
hygiene of a patient or an individual. Antiseptics, soaps and phenyl must be used in order to
maintain hygiene wherever needed.

(v) Isolation :- In order to avoid the transmission of intections from gne person to another,
the infected person must be kept in isolation.

(vi) Education :- People should be provided with complete knowledge about infectious
diseases so that they can protect themselves from various infections.

2.) Personal Health Measures :-

(i) Clean and nutritious food :- A healthy, nutritious and balanced diet containing
carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water and roughage is essential for a good
health. Unbalanced diet causes malnutrition which leads to weakness of the immune
system.The fruits and vegetables must be washed with clean water for the removal of eggs of
fies and pesticides. The food must always be stored in clean and dry places.

(ii) Clean drinking water :- Drinking water must be clean and free from contamination. We
should always purify water through boiling or using UV flter at home.

(iii) Clean air :- Clean air is an essential need for healthy living. Dirty and polluted air causes
bronchitis, asthma and irritation of eyes. Kitchen exhaust, motor vehicles and industries
make the air polluted.

(iv) Perrsonal hygiene :- Maintaining personal hygiene by regular bathing, brushing of teeth,
washing hands before and after meals, wearing clean clothes and undergarments keep the
person free from infectious diseases.

(v) Domestic hygiene :- Keeping our home clean by regular andproper dusting, Sweeping,
proper waste disposal and cleaning utensils also helps to prevent the infections.

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(vi) Free from addiction :- Narcotic drugs disturb coordination oforgans, alcohol damages
nerves and chewing tobacco causes mouth, throat and lung cancer. Thus, for a good health we
must be free from any type of addiction.

(vii) Exercise, rest and relaxation :- Regular exercises like jogging, skipping walking,
aerobics, yoga and playing outdoor games improve circulation of blood, and help in digestion,
relieve tension and regularise the bowel movement and thereby keep the bodyft. Proper rest
after daily work is essential for the muscles to work properly. It also relieves stressand
tension. An average ot six to eight hours of sound sleep is a necessity to be healthy and ft
Relief from work is relaxation. Sleep is the best way to relax our mind and body. Other ways
of relaxation include listening to music, reading, watching TV, meditation, etc.

Specific ways of prevention of Infectious diseases :-

Specifc ways of prevention of infectious diseases related to a particular property of the

immune systems that usually fghts of microbial infections .

Immune system of a body plays a vital role in preventing a disease caused by microbes. For
example :- Smallpox is a disease which is now completely removed from the world. Once a
person suffer from smallpox is cannot get affected by it again . This happens due to the
immune response of the body against a particular infectious microbe that enters in the body
for frst times . Our immune system remembers it specifcally . When the microbe enters the
body of the host next time . The immune system recognises the microbes . The immune
system acts with greater vigour and eliminates the microbe completely from the body of
person even more quickly than the frst time. The process of further recognition is operated
by Memory cells of immune system . This is the basis of Principle of immunisation .

Immunisation :-
Immunity is the ability of one's body to resist a disease. The method of developing immunity
is called immunisation. Immunisation is stimulating the body to produce antibodies by
artifcial means. Vaccination is the most general way of providing immunity to the body
against a particular infection. Vaccines are preparations which consist of heat-killed or
chemically weakened pathogens. These vaccines function as antigens. When these vaccines
(antigens or weakened pathogens) are injected into the body they stimulate the formation of
antibodies. These antibodies, on exposure of infectious microbes, prevent them from causing
a disease. Thus, when a human being suffers from an infection, the antibodies that are

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already present, prevent diseases. So, we can say, treated microorganisms used as vaccines do
not cause the disease rather trigger the body's immune system to build a defence mechanism
that continuously guards against various diseases.

Some Common Microbial Diseases :-

Viral Diseases

{ Hepatitis , AIDS , Polio , Infuenna & Rabies }

1.} Hepatitis

It is a disease which is associated primary with the liver . It is a vital infection . It is caused by
hepatitis virus . In this disease liver cells are damaged and digestive system is adversely
affected that result in jaundice .

Mode of Transmission :-

● Contaminated food and water spread hepatitis A .

● Contact with an infected person's sweat, saliva, tear and blood causes hepatitis B .

Symptoms:-

● Fever and loss of appetite (anorexia) with nausea and vomiting

● Yellow urine and light-coloured stool after 3 - 10 days of infection .

● Yellowing and itching in the skin .

● Headache, fatigue, general weakness and pain In joints .

Control :-

● Complete rest during the treatment .

● Consumption of carbohydrate-rich food like sugarcane juice, radish, jaggery (gur), etc

● Less intake of proteins and fat in the diet .

● Application of interferon injection on the advice of doctor .

Prevention :-

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● Eat clean food and drink boiled water.

● Administer vaccine against hepatitis A and-B .

● Check blood before transfusion .

● Use disposable syringes .

● Wash hands after handling the patientand his or her belongings .

2.} AIDS (Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome)

It is caused by retrovírus (RNA virus)- HIV (Human Immuno Defciency Virus). In India, it was
frst found in 1986 in Kolkata (West Bengal).

It is a fatal disease. The virus attacks WBCs and weakens the immıumeue system or self-
defence mechanism in humans.

Modes of transmission :-

● Sexual contact with the infected person .

● Use of needles or syringes already used by any intected person .

● Transplantation of organs (grafting) .

● Use of contaminated shaving razors of an infected person .

● From HIV infected mother to its foetus during pregnancy or during birth by mother's blood .

● Through transfusion of blood contaminated with AlDS virus .

Symptoms:-

● Weight loss and sweating at night (also called Slim's disease) .

● Lymph nodes get swollen .

● Repeated diarrhoea (Loose Motion) along with low grade regular fever, cough.

● Damaged brain cells or neurons, loss of memory and ability to speak and think .

Control :-

● There is no method to cure the patient completely. ART or Anti- Retroviral treatment may
increase the life of AIDS patient. It increases resistance providing cells in the body. This
treatment is called immunostimulative therapy.

Prevention :-

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● Use of disposable syringes and avoiding use of common razor blade at barber's shop.

● Proper education regarding AlDS transmission.

● Avoiding sexual contact with unknown persons.

● Use of condoms during intercourse and adoption of clean sexual practices. (Condom is a
membranous sheath of rubber having contraceptive function).

● Proper screening may be done during blood donation, organ transplantation, artifcial
insemination and inpregnant woman for HIV positive cases.

3.} Polio (Poliomyelitis)

Polio is caused by polio virus which is one of the smallest known viruses. It is a disease of
nervous system. This virus destroys centralnervous system via blood stream and lymphatic
system. In CNS (Central Nervous System), the virus destroys the motor nerve cells of spinal
cordthat are responsible for the muscular control, thereby causing a kind or paralysis which
mostly affects legs.

Mode of transmission :-

Infection is direct, through food and water contaminated with stooland urine of intected
persons. The virus multiplies in intestine, reaches the brain and spinal cord through blood. It
generally affects the children under fve years of age.

Symptoms :-

● Early synmptoms are sore throat and headache .

● Fever .

● Vomiting, stiffness of neck and tingling sensation in legs .

● Paralysis of legs .

● Death occurs in case of damage to respiratory system .

Prevention :-

● Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) is used to control polio. It is a live attenuated (weakened) viral
strain taken orally which colonises the gut and induces immunity.

4.} Infuenna :-

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It is also called Flu and is caused by infuenza virus . They attack epithelial cells of mucous
membrane in the respiratory track ( nose , throat , respiratory tract ) .

Mode of Transmission :-

● Air

● Person to Person contact

● Droplet infection via sneezing , coughing and talking .

Symptoms :-

● Sudden onset of chills (Winter) .

● Discharge from nose , coughing , sneezing .

● Fever , headache and muscular pains .

● Infammation in respiratory mucosa and general weakness .

Control :-

● There is no effective control for intluenza.

● Vaccines are used to control the disease whereas antiviral drugs are used for cure.

● Bed rest is good for easy recovery .

Prevention :-

● One can avoid catching of fu by keeping away from fu patients .

5.} Rabies (Hydrophobia)

It is a fatal viral disease of central nervous system, caused by rabies virus or lyssa virus. It is
present in the saliva of infected animals. An animal infected by the disease is called rabid
animal.

Mode of transmission :-

● Transmitted to humans by animal bites (through saliva) like bite of a rabid dog and other
rabid animals such as cats, monkeys, rabbits and even bats.

Symptoms :-

● Symptoms are not visible after infection even up to three months .

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● The disease is characterised by headache, high fever, painful movement in throat and chest
muscles, hydrophobia (fear of water by infected persons) and excessive salivation.

● It causes paralysis and sometimes death due to destruction of brain and spinal cord by the
virus.

Control :-

● Treatment include the course of 14 vaccines called Pasteur's treatment which was
discovered by Louis Pasteur.

● Nowadays 5 anti-rabies vaccines are injected at an interval of 0, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days of

infection (dog bite).

Prevention :-

● Immunisation of pet and street animals with anti-rabies vaccine.

● Killing of rabid animals which show excessive salivation.

● In case of bite, immediate washing of wound by carbolic soap and running water and anti-
rabies injection after consulting a doctor is suggested.

Bacterial Diseases

(Tuberculosis, Diarrhoea, Typhoid, Cholera and Peptic ulcer)

1.} Tuberculosis (TB)

TB is an infectious disease transmitted from person to person. This bacteria releases a toXin
called tuberculin which most commonly affects lungs along with other body parts including
bones, intestine and lymph nodes. The incubation period of TB includes a few weeks to a few
years. The under-nourished people living in congested part of big cities are mostly affected by
this.

Modes of transmission :-

● Direct transmission by

(a) coughing

(b) sneezing

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(C) spitting

● Indirect transmission by air .

Symptoms :-

● General weakness, loss of appetite and weight .

● Typical fever pattern, night sweating

● Pulmonary (lung) TB ― fever, persistent coughing , chest pain, breathlessness, blood in

sputum, local infammation and abscess in lungs which leaves scar after healing. This scar is
observed through X-rays.

● Lymph gland TB ― Swelling and tenderness of lymph glands.

Control :-

● It is prevented by ATT (Anti - Tubercular Therapy) .

● Appropriate nutritious diet , proper rest & rehabilitation (to keep separate)

Prevention :-

● Immunisation with BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) vaccine. It gives immunity for 3-5 years.

● Keeping the TB patients in complete isolation

● Avoid spitting at public places and use handkerchief when coughing and sneezing.

● Educating people regarding the diseaseAvoidance of over crowding, provision of good

ventilation and better nutrition help to reduce the incidence of diseases.

2.) Diarrhoea (Loose Motion)

It is caused by bacteria and Protozoans viruses . Diarrhoea is an abnormally frequent

discharge of semi - solid or fuid faeces . It occurs due to intestinal infections a d food
poisoning .

Mode of Transmission :-

● Contaminated food and water .

● contaminated house - hold things like clothes , bedsheets and utensils .

Symptoms :-

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● Frequernt watery stools with or without mucus and blood .

● Abdominal cramps and pain.

● Nausea, Vomiting, dehydration, sudden loss of weight, borborygmus (gurgling noise

produced by movement of gas in alimentary canal)

● Low blood pressure, increased pulse rate and fever

Prevention :-

● Proper personal and community hygiene .

● Keeping the eatables covered to avoid contamination .

● Drinking clean water and proper cooking of food.

● Proper disposal of human faeces.

● Proper wire-netting of doors and windows to prevent entry of house fies.

Control :-

● Complete bed rest and use of anti-diarrhoeal antibiotics .

● Use of ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution) .

● Pulp of boiled unripe banana and required amount of salt, turmeric and lime is helpful to
controldiarrhoea and provide relief.

● Plantago ovata (Isabgol) seeds with curd should be given to patients for relief.

● Saline drip may be given intravenously.

3.} Typhoid :-

It is a most common communicable disease caused by Salmonella typhi, a rod-shaped

bacterium found in the intestine of humans. It is common in age group at 1- 15 years. Widal
test is used for the diagnosis of typhoid. About 2.5 million people suffer from typhoid every
year.

Mode of transmission :-

Through ingestion of food and water contaminated with faecal matter of patients transmitted
through house fies. The symptoms appear after 10 to 14 days of infection.

Symptoms :-
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● Headache and fever which increases each day in frst week. During 2nd week the patient
experiences persistent high fever and then slow decrease in fever during the 3rd and 4th
week .

● Rashes on the upper abdomen, slow pulse.

● Diarrhoea with green-stools, abdominal p.ain, constipation, sometimes infammation in

liver and colon.

Control :-

● Use of antibiotics like chloromycetin.

Prevention :-

● Immunisation with TAB vaccines (it prevents typhoid for 2 years) and typhoid oral vaccine .

● Drinking clean and disinfected water .

● Proper cooking of food .

● Proper underground disposal of human faeces .

4.} Cholera

It is an acute infectious and fatal disease. It is more common after foods and often occus as
an epidemic affectinga large population. It is caused by bacterium Vibrio cholerae.

Incubation period is few hours to two-three days. The bacteria of cholera infect the small
intestine and invade its epithelial cells. After the death of bacteria, a toxin is released that
irritates the intestinal lining and leads to loss of excess water and salts.

Mode of transmission :-

● Transmitted through contaminated food and water and house fies.

Symptomns :-

● Watery stools/painless diarrhoea .

● Vomiting, dehydration, muscle cramps and weight loss .

● Kidney failure due to loss of mineral salts and body fuids .

● Sunken eyes .

Control :-
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● Use of ORS to prevent dehydration .

● Use of antibiotics like tetracyclin kills the intestinal bacteria .

Prevention :-

● Immunisation against disease by standard cholera vaccine .

● Use of boiled and disinfected water and properly cooked food.

● Maintaining proper hygiene and good sanitation in community .

5.} Peptic Ulcers :-

Peptic ulcers are painful bleeding areas in stomach and the duodenum. Earlier, it was thought
to be due to life style reasons and stress which cause release of gastric acids. Robin Warren
(1984) observed that the cause of peptic ulcer is Helicobacter pylori which is a gram negative
bacteria. These are small, curved bacteria. Marshall and Warren succeeded in culturing
these bacteria. They also found that amoxicillin which is an antibiotic was effective against
this bacterial type. Marshall and Warren received Nobel Prine for Physiology and
Medicine in 2005 for this discovery. This fnding helped in Changing painful chronic and
disabling diseases into a short duration a d treatable disease.

Protonoan Diseases ( Malaria )

1.} Malaria :-

It is one of the most dangerous and fatal diseases in humans. Approximately 300 million
people around the world suffer trom this disease every year. Above two million people
(around the globe) die every year due to malaria.

Mode of transmission :-

It is a vector-borne disease. It spreads by the female Anopheles mosquito which is the

carrier of thisparasite. When Anopheles mosquito bites a person, causative agent
(Plasmodium) of malaria, enters the blood of human.

In liver cells, Plasmodium multiplies and later attacks the RBCs resulting in modifcation of
RBC structure. The rupture of RBCs is associated with release of a toxic substance called

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haemonoin, which is responsible for the chill and high fever recurring every 3 to 4 days.
Haemozoin is a breakdown product of haemoglobin (red-pigment) of blood.

Malarial parasite (Plasmodium) is a digenetic parasite. It requires two hosts, i.e., mosquitoes
and humans to complete its life cycle. The presence of Plasmodium in human blood can be
detected by blood test.

Symptoms :-

● Headache, nausea and muscular pain .

● Chill and shivering followed by very high fever and then lowering of temperature .

● Enlargement of liver and spleen .

● Tiredness, vomiting .

Prevention :-

● Use of wire-netting on doors and corridors .

● Use of mosquito nets and mosquito repellent creams .

● Cleaning the stagnant water and not letting the water to stagnate .

● Spraying DDT or kerosene to kill mosquito larvae on water bodies .

● Introducing larvivorous fshes (Gambusia, minnows, trouts) or ducks in water bodies. These
feed on mosquito larvae (biological control of mosquito).

● Spray of insecticides (like BHC and Malathion to kill the adult mosquitoes)

Control :-

Quinine is used to treat persons suffering from malaria. It is extracted from the bark of
Cinchona ofcinale. This drug is effective against most of the stages of life cycle of malarial
parasite. Vaccine for malarial parasite is under research.

Written By Deepak
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