Health Matters (09); Communicable Diseases

These are bacterial or viral diseases which spread due to human interaction via different mediums. Due to the involvement of direct human interaction, these diseases speedily spread in populated areas. The terrible example of such diseases is COVID-19.

What are some common ways that communicable diseases are spread among people?

Communicable diseases roll out in various ways like

• transmitted by the direct touch of an infected person to healthy person.
• interaction with some bodily fluids like blood, saliva or mucus etc.
• Sometimes animals or insects can transmit the virus of bacteria which causes disorder in the body.
• Pollutes water or food items can cause a disease. In my district, the major source of hepatitis c is polluted water.

How can good hygiene practices help prevent the spread of communicable diseases?

If we have a look over the common sources of viruses and bacteria which are responsible for rolling out communicable diseases, these come from pollution and unhygienic sources.

If an infected person with influenza doesn't wash his hand properly, it can easily transmit to other people with just a handshake. Similarly, in preparation of food, if necessary cleaning is not considered (particularly in restaurants), it can be a fountainhead where many diseases can break out. And only a good hygienic condition can help to control it.

In the 2nd lesson about hematology, I read about a scientist named Raphael Randal who is the hero of Venezuela because he changed the entire condition of the country's wellbeing by focusing on hygienic condition.

Why is it important for individuals to seek medical help if they suspect they have a communicable disease?

I recently read a research about polio in which it is mentioned that sometimes the virus which causes polio is misunderstood as a common influenza virus( because the symptoms do not appear), and still if the person does not got the disease, it can be transmitted to other healthier people and show the symptoms. The same is the case of COVID-19, which in some people do not show fully and still transmitted to many others. That's why it is necessary to go to a specialist, if someone has even mild symptoms of a communicable disease.

Can you think of examples of communicable diseases and how they have impacted communities?

The outbreak of COVID-19 could be the best example, but here I want to point out Dengue fever caused by specific mosquito bites. It has spread often since the last few years in Pakistan. Sometimes the situation becomes uncontrollable and thousands of causes are reported in different cites. Even the space in government hospitals is fully occupied and the situation becomes difficult to control.

How do public health measures like vaccinations and quarantine help control the spread of communicable diseases?

Public health measures are the key factor to controlling a communicable disease. These can be taken as cure before an ailment spreads. It not only minimizes the economic burden over governments but also helps to take good control over a spreading disease. It is best to control the loss, which can happen otherwise. Like in the case of dengue fever, the public health measures are so simple, such as using insecticides, covering the clean water storage, and wearing loose clothes with full sleeves etc. These simple techniques can be very helpful in controlling this lethal disease.

If the public does not respond to measures declared compulsory from the responsible authorities, it becomes almost impossible to control it. Like the vaccine of polio is available and proper campaigns run after defined intervals. But due to lack of awareness and some orthodox behaviours in society,it is difficult to completely eradicate it in different areas of Pakistan

Inviting @zory23, @zisha-hafiz and @echuku