Communicable diseases are also known as infectious diseases, transmissible diseases or contagious diseases. These comprise of clinically evident illnesses that result from an infection along with presence and active growth of pathogenic-biological agents in the host organism. In some cases, communicable diseases may remain asymptomatic through their entire course. The pathogens that are known to cause these transmissible diseases include various bacteria, fungi, viruses, multi-cellular parasites, protozoa and some aberrant proteins called the prions. These are commonly called as ‘germs’ and their method of transmitting a disease, ease of their contagiousness, time span of dormancy and the relative dangers differ significantly from one ailment to another. It is these pathogens that are the major cause of disease epidemics, which implies that no contagious epidemic will ever occur without a pathogenic causative agent.
Communicable diseases are carried by the micro organisms but they are transmitted via animals, people, foods, air or even surfaces. Such diseases rely mainly on fluid exchanges, close contacts or contaminated substances to travel from the infected carriers to any healthy individual. Some categories of these diseases may also require blood exchanges with an injection; they may also float along with a sneeze or may get transmitted during childbirth as well. Malaria, herpes, mumps, AIDS/ HIV, chicken pox, influenza, whooping cough and ringworm are some examples of communicable diseases.
The human to human communicable diseases can be passed via blood, uterine fluid, mucus, semen, saliva, breast milk or even breath. Often, these can be prevented by having safe sex, washing hands frequently and disposing of waste properly. The animal to human transmission of such diseases includes rabies. It can be acquired from a squirrel or dog bite, Lyme’s disease by ticks and lice and malaria from the mosquitoes. Most other kinds of communicable diseases rely on contaminated substances, surface and environments for their transmission.
As communicable diseases require a source for their transmission, defining their means of it plays a crucial role in comprehending the biology of the concerned infectious agent besides addressing the ailment and its causes and prevention. There are various mechanisms of transmission of diseases. For instance, meningitis and respiratory diseases spread easily through aerosolized droplets, coughing, talking, sneezing, singing or even kissing. Similarly, gastro-intestinal diseases may be acquired by consuming contaminated water or food items. Also, sexually transmitted diseases or STD may be passed from one partner to another through coming in contact with the bodily fluids of the infected partner.
Transmission of such diseases may involve a vector too. The vectors can be either biological or mechanical. The latter form picks up infectious agents on its body (outside) and transmits in a very passive manner. An apt example of this is the common housefly, which sits on cow dung and contaminates its appendages with the bacteria present in the faeces, and later ends up sitting on food articles before their consumption. While the pathogen fails to enter the housefly’s body, and uses it only as a carrier, it enters the human body easily and infects the same. On the contrary, the biological vectors are known to harbour pathogens inside their own bodies. They deliver these pathogens to newer hosts actively, usually through a bite. Such biological vectors are known to cause some severe blood borne diseases like viral encephalitis, Lyme disease, Chagas diseases, African sleeping sickness and most commonly, malaria.
These vectors, whether biological or mechanical are a crucial part of the pathogen’s life cycle and are often required completing as well. A strategy that is used for controlling the vector-borne diseases is interrupting the pathogen’s life cycle by vector killing.
It is pertinent to try control transmission of communicable diseases at all levels. At individual level, it is crucial to be well informed about the most common ailments and avoid creating an environment or circumstances that helps the pathogens thrive actively. To be able to keep germs away, it is of utmost importance to keep hygienic and ensure that the surroundings remain clean too. Further, timely vaccinations for polio and BCG are also important in the childhood to prevent these serious ailments. Also, use of infected needles, consuming contaminated street food (especially street food), coming in contact with infected surfaces and walking barefoot on ground should be avoided to save from being infected by germs.
The simplest and the best ways to stay safe and healthy are through developing good immunity. If an individual eats well, exercises and has healthy living practices, he/ she will have higher chances of safety and a better immune system than others. If the immune system of a person is strong, it becomes tougher for the germs to act inside their body, even if they enter the body of the host.
The government health departments and agencies spend a valuable amount of time and money to study the risks involved or the spread of communicable diseases to identify the outbreaks, prevent their re-occurrences and to develop treatments for them. They also compile statics like incidence that measures the number of new cases diagnosed every year and the prevalence that helps identify the number of cases existing at the given point of time. This study of communicable diseases may also intersect with the issues of weather patterns, vaccinations, public education, available medical facilities, travel restrictions, sewage systems, water purity as well as social interactions. The health officials also work on informing the public regarding high-risk epidemics and try to reduce the exposure with various preventive measures. If the methods of transmission come to be identified in time, they can be circumvented in time, thereby preventing an outbreak.
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