The threat of having a certain kind of health scare leads to another level. Most individuals are now very aware due to the alarming rate of health awareness through social media, newspaper, television, etc. It is challenging to analyze the problem even if the symptoms start showing one after another.
Many doctors can monitor the day to day journal log entries made by their patients by using Symptom Tracker application for further treatment. It includes a drop-down list of a common type of symptoms through which one can enter the problem they are facing. This application is easy to access with the help of a Mobile phone as well as the website whichever applicable. It monitors the reports as well as helps the doctors to know the actual reason for your health problem.
What are Infectious Diseases?
Infectious diseases are diseases caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, virus or parasites that invade a (host) organism’s body tissue. In other words, it is also called transmissible disease. Vaccinations prevent few infectious diseases such as measles; in some cases, it still affects despite the vaccines given.
Symptoms
The nature of symptoms may vary depending on different cases.
Few symptoms common to several infectious diseases include
1. Coughing
2. Fever
3. Diarrhea
4. Fatigue
5. Muscle cramps
In some instances, it may be difficult to distinguish a specific infection due to similar kind of symptoms it shows, that may be a bacterial or viral infection. It is vital to bring the difference between these two infections are that antibiotics do not cure viral infections.
Causes
For instance, at times if you have a problem having ‘pink eye’ or as in viral conjunctivitis, this is a viral infection. That is the reason the doctors can read out the type of infection due to the symptom.
However, infectious diseases caused due to the presence of microorganisms, better known as infectious agents (pathogens). The organisms are:
1. Bacteria
Bacteria are single cell organisms that are responsible for diseases such as urinary tract
infections, tuberculosis, pneumonia, impetigo, etc.
2. Viruses
It is even smaller than bacteria, but viruses cause multiple varieties of diseases that set from the common cold to AIDS.
3. Fungi
Many other types of fungi infect the human body such as the lungs or nervous system. Some other are skin diseases such as ringworm, athlete’s foot caused by fungi.
4. Parasites
Malaria, Dengue, kala-azar, etc. are some of the diseases caused by certain parasites transmitted to the human body.
Diagnosis
Most of the infectious diseases have similar signs and symptoms that make it challenging to know the type of infection. The concerned doctor suggests undergoing specific few tests to diagnose that helps them to start further treatment.
1. Blood tests, Urine tests, stool samples are required to know more about the severity and type of infections to start the medication as soon as possible.
2. Scanning includes X-rays, MRI, etc. helps to point out the diagnoses and rules out other conditions that may be causing symptoms.
3. Biopsies – a tiny sample of tissue is taken from an internal organ for testing in case of finding out a variety of infection that may be causing symptoms.
Treatment
After conducting a few tests, doctors would choose appropriate treatment once knowing the type of infection related to the illness. Most of the doctors prefer prescribing medications to their patients.
Medications are related to the type of infections that includes:
1. Antibiotics
Antibiotics medications are mainly for bacterial infections. These are not effective for curing viral infections. A doctor prescribing the medicine with the right dosage should be adhered followed. Use Medicine tracker to track your prescribed medicines for the disease.
2. Antivirals
Few drugs are developed to treat some, not all viruses. These are diseases caused by viruses that include HIV/AIDS, influenza, Hepatitis B &C, etc.
3. Antifungals
Some medications are given to treat skin or nail infections caused by fungi – Topical antifungal. For other fungal infections affecting the lungs or mucous membranes can be treated with an oral antifungal medication. Intravenous antifungal medications are given primarily to those patients who have a weak immune system.
4. Anti-parasitics
There are drugs given to patients having parasite causing disease, Malaria, Dengue, etc.
Remedies
Some of the infectious diseases, like common cold or flu, resolve their own with or without any medications. Drinking a lot of water helps to keep your body healthy.
Risk factors
A high chance of anyone having an infectious disease, it is more likely to be sick in case your immune system is not working correctly. It may happen:
1. Taking steroids or other medications such as anti-rejection drugs for organ transplantation that suppresses the immune system of the human body.
2. A specific type of cancer or any other disease affects the immune system.
Infectious diseases spread
Many ways of contagious diseases carry germs that spread through:
1. Scattered through the air (droplet spread) and aerosol
Some infections spread through airborne when the infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks. Examples are a common cold, rubella, flu, etc. There are other infections spread through tiny particles carrying infecting agents; these small particles are called aerosols. Examples of diseases spread through small particles are chickenpox, measles, tuberculosis (TB).
2. Spread through blood
Infections spread through blood or other body fluids (for example urine, saliva, semen) from an infected person comes into contact. Examples are Hepatitis B&C, HIV/AIDS.
3. Direct and Indirect contact
Infections spread through one person to another person, animal to person and mother to an unborn child when an individual comes into direct contact with the infected persons.
Infections spread through disease-causing organisms can be passed by indirect contact. For example, many germs can spread on an inanimate object such as a doorknob, benchtops, bedding, etc.
5. Insect Bites
Insects carry germs through mosquitoes, lice or ticks from one host to another. Malaria, dengue, etc. are some of the insect bites that spread infectious diseases.
6. Food contamination
Contamination of food, as well as water, carry disease-causing germs that spread infection.
7. Spread by skin contact
Example of disease spread by the skin (nose, mouth, throat, etc.) is conjunctivitis, ringworm, etc. These spreads through direct contact with the surface of another person.
Symptom Tracker application helps to track the severity of infectious disease and provides an insight to the doctors about their patient’s health condition.
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