Health and

disease
organisms
 Objectives
1. define the terms good health and disease

2. classify diseases as Communicable (infectious diseases) and

non communicable diseases (chronic or degenerative disease,
nutritional deficiency disease, inherited disorders).

3. differentiate between the terms signs and symptoms

4. state the main causes, primary symptoms and possible

treatment of asthma;

5. explain how asthma affects the respiratory tract

6. discuss the causes, signs/symptoms, treatment modality and
prevention of chronic/lifestyle related diseases

7. discuss the causative agent, signs, symptoms, prevention and

control of infectious diseases;

8. discuss the cause, symptoms, mode of action, prevention and

control of HIV/AIDS.

9. describe the effects of sexually transmitted infections

(STIs) on the pregnant mother and the foetus

10. discuss the impact of diseases on the human population

Good health: a state of complete physical, mental and social well
Being (WHO)

● Free from physical signs means not having spots on the skin or
any broken bones.

● Mental health means having a healthy mind free from

depression and worry

● Social wellbeing means having a satisfactory relationship with

others and a good attitude to life in general.
Disease: loss of health brought about by an association between a
person (host) and and a disease agent (cause)

Diseases are classified in two large categories:

● Communicable (transmissible): disease caused by pathogens

and often known as infectious

● Non-communicable: disease not caused by organisms.

Infectious or communicable diseases are caused by pathogens
that invade the body.

A pathogen is any organism that causes a disease.

Examples: virus, bacteria, protozoans, worms, and fungi

Pathogens are transmitted to human by vectors

Examples of vectors are: insects, other animals, air, water, food

and direct contact
 Demonstrate the presence of bacteria

Watch the following video then list steps to demonstrate the

presence of bacteria.

1. Rub a sterile cotton swab on the structure to be tested.

2. Rub the cotton swab across the surface of the agar

3. Incubate the agar plate for 48 hours

4. Observe the plate for bacterial colonies

 Disease, transmission and control

Vectors and diseases

Waterborne
airborne Food and drink insects contact Other animals
(through skin)

cold/
hookworm typhoid dengue ringworm leptospirosis
influenza

pneumonia cholera malaria Athlete’s foot Food poisoning

tuberculosis gastroenteritis
 Acute respiratory infection:
Influenza

Influenza is similar to a common cold.

Pathogen : Virus

Spread/Vector: by droplet infection from expired air

Sign: shivering, raised body temperature

Symptoms: Headache, fever, sore throat, backache

Control : good ventilation, avoid
crowds, influenza vaccine

Treatment: warmth, rest, hot drinks,

painkillers
 PNEUMONIA

Signs & Symptoms Causative Agents

-Chest pain when you breathe or cough -Bacteria

-Cough -Fungi
-Fatigue -Viruses
-Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

Method of Transmission

-Inhaling virus from another ill person

-Through mouth and eyes
Method of Limiting Spread

-Isolation
-Washing of hands
-Vaccination
-Stop/don’t smoke Treatment

-Drink lots of fluids

-Lots of rest
-Medicine (ibuprofen and acetaminophen)
 Tuberculosis

● Tuberculosis is described as a social disease, because it is

much more frequent where overcrowding, malnutrition and dirt
surroundings are found.

● The causative agent of this disease is Mycobacterium

tuberculosis.

● The vector of this is airborne particles called droplet nuclei

Signs of TB Controls of TB
● avoid overcrowding and
spitting
● Cough later spitting blood
● Lung tubercles
● Patient becomes thin and pale

Treatment
● Good ventilation
● BCG vaccine
● Mass X-ray diagnosis
● Antibiotic drug treatment
 Typhoid

Typhoid is a life threatening illness caused by the bacterium

Salmonella typhi.

Symptoms of typhoid Signs of Typhoid are:

● Diarrhoea
● Fever ● Vomiting
● Headache
● Cough
● Delirium Causative agent
● Painful abdomen the bacterium Salmonella
● Rash typhi. This attacks the walls
● Muscles aches of the intestines.
● Constipation
Method of Limiting spread:
● Drink bottled water, preferably carbonated.
● If bottled water cannot be sourced, ensure water is heated on a
rolling boil for at least one minute before consuming.
● Be wary of eating anything that has been handled by someone else.
● Avoid eating at street food stands, and only eat food that is still hot.
● Do not have ice in drinks.
● Avoid raw fruit and vegetables, peel fruit yourself, and do not eat
the peel.
● Typhoid vaccinations are effective in preventing the typhoid fever.
Methods of Transmission: Faecal contamination of
drinking water or food.

Treatment: Antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, Oral rehydration

therapy, Active immunisation, and drinking fluids.

Typhoid Mary Typhoid Mary

Short Version Long Version
 Cholera
What is Cholera?: Cholera is a disease caused by bacteria that
produce a watery diarrhea that can rapidly
lead to dehydration.

Transmitted by: water sources contaminated with the causative

bacterium Vibrio cholerae, although
contaminated foods. Eg: raw shellfish
 Signs & Symptoms:

● rapid onset of copious

● smelly diarrhea that resembles rice water
● signs of dehydration
● vomiting
● wrinkled skin
● low blood pressure
● dry mouth
● rapid heart rate
Control
● Wash your hands with soap and water frequently
● Drink only safe water
● Eat food that's completely cooked and hot
● Avoid improperly cooked fish or seafood of any kind.
● Stick to fruits and vegetables that you can peel yourself
Treatment

● Rehydration. replace lost fluids and electrolytes using a

simple rehydration solution, oral rehydration salts (ORS). .
● Intravenous fluids. Most people with cholera can be helped by
oral rehydration alone, but severely dehydrated people might
also need intravenous fluids.
● Antibiotics.Some antibiotics can reduce cholera-related
diarrhea and shorten how long it lasts in severely ill people.
● Zinc supplements. Research has shown that zinc might
decrease diarrhea and shorten how long it lasts in children
with cholera.
Gastroenteritis
 House flies
Life cycle

● Lays between 100 and 150 eggs in rotten organic refuse or

faeces.

● Hatch into larvae after 6 to 24 hours.

● Larva feeds on rotten refuse, molts twice, then turn into pupa
(non-feeding stage)

● Pupa turns into adult after 14 days and can mate, laying eggs 4
days later
House flies cause food poisoning by feeding, defecting and walking from
organic waste and faeces to food.

Feeding:

● House Flies feed through a straw-like structure called a

proboscis which it lowers unto the food.

● The function of the proboscis is to extract digestive juice

from the fly and then to suck up the liquid (externally
digested) dissolved food.

● From this process, pools of digestive juice rich in bacteria

from previously ingested meals (faeces) will be left on food.
Defecating:

● Houseflies may defecate while flying over food.

● Tiny drops of faeces rich in bacteria may land on food to be

ingested by humans.

Walking:

● Bacteria from numerous hairs on the legs of the fly may drop
off on food to be ingested from the fly walking on the food.

● The feet of a fly contains a suction cup which holds bacteria

from walking on unclean surfaces. Bacteria from these suction
cups may drop off onto food
Control of houseflies:

1. Kill adults with insecticide, swatting and fly paper

2. Removal of rubbish heaps will prevent flies from breeding.

3. Keep house refuse covered

Prevention:

1. Keep food covered

2. Cooking utensils should be stored so that flies can’t

settle on them
 Dengue

Aedes is endemic in parts of the Caribbean with epidemics of

dengue occuring every 3 to 5 years. Infected aedes may have
arrived in the Caribbean in dust storms blown over from Africa.
Dengue fever is transmitted by biting the skin to suck blood by
female mosquitoes of the species Aedes aegypti.

SYMPTOMS
Symptoms appear 3 to 14 days after
infection as
● Frontal headache
● Abdominal pains
● Joint and muscle pains.
SIGNS
● Fever
● Sickness and vomiting
● Rash spreading from the torso to areas of the legs and face
● Death from dengue haemorrhagic fever and platelet

CONTROL
● Decreasing mosquito exposure by:
❖ Killing adults with insecticide sprays
❖ Killing larvae and pupae by spraying oil on stagnant water
❖ Drain stagnant water

TREATMENT
● Take paracetamol to control fever or relieve pain
● Get plenty of rest and drink fluid to prevent dehydration
 Malaria

An intermittent & remittent

fever, caused by a protozoan
parasite, that invades the red
blood cells, transmitted by female
mosquitoes.

NOTE: Symptoms of Malaria

may last for several months
 Signs & Symptoms of Malaria

SIGNS

● Shivering & Chills (ranges from

moderate to severe)
● High fever
● Profuse Sweating
● Bloody stools
 Signs & Symptoms of Malaria

Symptoms

● Headache
● Diarrhea
● Anemia
● Nausea
● Abdominal pains
● Respiratory distress
● Muscle pain
● Vomiting
 Causative Agent

The Causative Agent for this

disease is Plasmodium.
Plasmodium contains
approximately 200 species, a few
of which affect humans.

The four(4) main species are:

● Plasmodium Falciparum
● Plasmodium Malariae
● Plasmodium Ovale
● Plasmodium Vivax
 Method of Transmission

Malaria is a mosquito-borne parasitic disease. Once an individual is

bitten by an infected female mosquito, he/she has been infected.

Also, by using the same contaminated syringes/needles between

individuals; this is another method of transmission for this
disease.
 Method of Limiting Spread

Method of limiting spread:

● Vaccine development - Developing a safe vaccine for Malaria

can cure all those infected
● Protective bed nets, with long lasting insecticides- This
prevents malaria infected mosquitoes from biting the
individual
● Spraying the inside walls of houses- This is an effective way
of killing large numbers of infected mosquitos, which inhabit
households
● Cover your arms and legs at night- Covering your arms and
legs at night prevents you from getting bitten
 Ways to treat Malaria

Treatment:

● Antimalarial drugs- This helps to treat the malarial infection

(Type of drug and length of treatment may vary, depending on
the age, health condition etc, of the individual)
● Nutrition- Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and drink a lot of
fluids, as Malaria can make an individual severely dehydrated
● Get rid of drums and barrels with stagnant water- This will
prevent mosquitoes from breeding around households
 Ringworm

Signs and Symptoms

● red, itchy, or scaly patches, or raised areas of skin called

plaques.
● patches that develop blisters or pustules(small bumps on the
skin that contain fluid).
● patches that may be redder on the outside edges or resemble
a ring.
● patches with edges that are defined and raised.

Causative Agent: Microsporum

Methods of transmission

● Human to human: Ringworm often spreads by direct, skin-to-skin contact

with an infected person.
● Animal to human: You can get ringworm by touching an animal with
ringworm. Ringworm can spread while petting or grooming dogs or cats.
It's also fairly common in cows
● Object to human: It's possible for ringworm to spread by contact with
objects or surfaces that an infected person or animal has recently
touched or rubbed against, such as clothing, towels, bedding and linens,
combs, and brushes.
● Soil to human: In rare cases, ringworm can be spread to humans by contact
with infected soil. Infection would most likely occur only from prolonged
contact with highly infected soil
Methods of limited spread

● Keep your skin clean and dry.

● Wear shoes that allow air to circulate freely around your feet.
● Don’t walk barefoot in areas like locker rooms or public showers.
● Clip your fingernails and toenails short and keep them clean.
● Change your socks and underwear at least once a day.
● Don’t share clothing, towels, sheets, or other personal items with someone
who has ringworm.
● Wash your hands with soap and running water after playing with pets. If you
suspect that your pet has ringworm, take it to see a veterinarian.
● If you’re an athlete involved in close contact sports, shower immediately
after your practice session or match, and keep all of your sports gear and
uniform clean. Don’t share sports gear (helmet, etc.) with other players.
Treatment: Ringworm can be treated with topical medications such
as antifungal creams,ointments,lotion or powder.
 Disease induced by humans

Human behaviour
Sexually transmitted disease Drug abuse

Gonorrhoea cocaine

Syphilis heroin

AIDS/HIV marijuana

Herpes alcohol

hepatitis smoking/nicotine
 Gonorrhea

Signs and Symptoms

● Itching and burning sensation when passing urine

● Persistent sore throat
● Swelling or pain in the testis
● Discharge of pus from the penis
● Greater frequency or urgency of urination

Positive agent
The bacterium Neisseria gonorrhea
 Method Of Transmission
● Sexual intercourse

Method of Limiting Spread

● Always use a condom during intercouse
● Abstain from sexual intercourse
● Have one sexual partner who does not have the infection

Treatment
● Antibiotics
● Apple cider vinegar (home method)
 Syphilis
Signs and Symptoms Causative agent
● body rashes that last 2 to 6 weeks. caused by a spirochaete
● mild fever (large spiral shaped
● Fatigue bacterium).
● sore throat
● hair loss
Method of transmission
● weight loss
transmitted by sexual contact or from
● swollen glands
mother to infant, although endemic
● Headache
syphilis is transmitted by non-sexual
● muscle pains.
contact in communities living under poor
hygiene conditions.
Methods of limiting spread
● always use condoms with water based lubricant during sex.
● always use dental dams for oral sex.
● limit the number of people you have sex with, or just have sex with
one partner who isn't already infected.
● avoid sex with someone infected with syphilis or who has symptoms of
syphilis until they have finished treatment.
Treatment of Syphilis
penicillin, an antibiotic medication that can kill the organism that
causes syphilis. Do not have sex with any partner who has syphilis
until 7 days after he or she finishes treatment.
 Herpes
Herpes are categorized into two Symptoms and signs of Herpes
types
● burning when you pee if your
1. Type 1: (HSV-1, or oral herpes) urine touches the herpes sores
2. Type 2: (HSV-2, or genital ● itching
herpes) ● swollen glands in your pelvic
area, throat, and under your
arms
● fever
● chills
● Headache
● Sores
What causes Herpes?

● having unprotected vaginal or anal sex.

● having oral sex with a person who gets cold sores.
● sharing sex toys.
● having genital contact with an infected person.

Method of limiting spread

● Abstinence is the only sure method to prevent the spread of herpes from one person
to another. Using the condom properly, covering all infected regions, and using it
every time, are effective methods to reduce the spread of the herpes virus, although
the risk is not entirely eliminated.

What the treatment for the Herpes?

There are three major drugs commonly used to treat genital herpes symptoms: acyclovir
(Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir), and valacyclovir (Valtrex). These are all taken in pill form.
 Asthma

● Refers to a chronic and incurable condition by which the airways

narrow and swell causing reversible obstruction.

● Those who suffer from asthma are known to have hypersensitive

lungs and airways. Therefore, when a trigger enters the lungs, the
airways become inflamed causing the surrounding muscles to
tighten.

● This results to the accumulation of mucus while constricting the

passages; the inflammation and mucus reduce the size of the
airways.
 Factors increasing the chances of obtaining
asthma

● Genetics
● From the development of other atopic conditions; especially at
a tender age
● Constant exposure to tobacco smoke at a tender age;
especially during pregnancy
● Premature birth
● Born below 2kg
● Lack of vitamin C and E, Omega-3 and fatty acids
● Constant exposure to indoor/ outdoor pollution ( mold, gases
and chemicals)
Signs and Symptoms - triggered by environmental
factors:
● Wheezing
● Shortness of breath
● Dry cough; especially at night
● Tightening of the chest
Although there are no specific prevention
methods, one can control its effects through:
● Identifying triggers and avoiding them
● Frequently monitor breathing
● Always carry medications and inhalers for immediate relief
from an attack
● Follow the instructions of prescribe medication
● Learn proper use of inhalers including how to clean it
Although there is NO cure for asthma, certain
treatment can help control the symptoms:
● Complementary therapies- breathing exercises and dietary
supplements
● Bronchial Thermoplasty Surgery
● Injections- benralizumab (Fasenra), omalizumab (Xolair),
mepolizumab (Nucala), reslizumab (Cinqaero)
● Tablets- steroid, theophylline, leukoteriene receptor
antagonist
● Inhalers- Combination inhaler, prevention inhaler and reliever
inhaler
 Diabetes

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS:

- Weight loss
- Dehydration & frequent
CAUSE: urination
- Blurred vision
- Lack of exercise - Fatigue
- Too much energy rich foods - Dark skin changes at the
- genetic neck, armpit and groin
PREVENTION: TREATMENT:

- Eat healthy; Balanced diet - Lifestyle changes

- Practice physical activity - Monitoring blood sugar
- Insulin
- Diabetes medications (ex.
Metformin)
 Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Causes
● Contact with animals
● Contact with certain bodily fluids
● Coming in contact with something an infected
person touched
 Signs & symptoms

● Fever
● Cough
● Headaches
● Shortness of breath
 Prevention

● Social distancing
● Don’t cough in your hands
● Wash your hands regularly
● Use alchol based hand sanitizer
 Treatment
● Although there is no vaccine, corona symptoms usually
fade away on their own.
● Doctor prescribed pain medicaton
● Plenty of rest