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Communicable Disease

2,020 bytes added, 09:37, 10 November 2018
Communication of Disease
*Bodily Fluids
*Vectors
 
====Airborne====
: Some [[pathogen]]s can be spread through the [[air]]. For instance when we sneeze some [[virus]]es spread in tiny [[water]] droplets that float through the [[air]] to be [[breath]]ed in by another [[organism]].
: Airborne [[pathogen]]s are the most easily spread so they present the greatest challenge in ensuring [[hygienic]] surroundings. In these instances [[quarantine]] is the best procedure.
 
====Physical Contact====
: Some [[pathogen]]s can only be spread by physical contact between two surfaces. These could be spread by shaking the hand of an [[Infection|infected]] person or touching a surface that they have touched, such as a door handle.
: [[Pathogen]]s spread by physical contact can be reduced by wearing gloves and by cleaning surfaces regularly; including door handles and taps and hand rails.
 
====Waterborne====
: Some [[pathogen]]s survive in [[water]]. Drinking this contaminated water can lead to [[infection]].
: [[Pathogen]]s spread by [[water]] can be removed by [[Sterilise|sterilising]] the [[water]]. This can be with [[chlorine]], found in our drinking [[water]] or by [[boiling]] the [[water]] to kill the [[pathogen]]s.
 
====Body Fluids====
: Some [[pathogen]]s can be spread from one person to another through a body fluid including [[blood]] and [[mucus]].
: [[Pathogen]]s spread by body fluids can be prevented by avoiding contact that might spread body fluids.
: [[Sexually Transmitted Infection|Sexually transmitted infections]] can be prevented by using a [[condom]] or other barrier between fluids.
 
====Vectors====
: Some [[pathogen]]s are spread by [[animal]]s which spread the [[infection]] between [[organism]]s but those [[animal]]s do not get ill themselves, they are only [[carrier]]s.
: These [[pathogen]]s can be stopped by preventing those [[animal]]s coming into contact with the [[organism]]. This can be done with a physical barrier, such as a mosquito net to protect against [[malaria]] or by killing the [[animal]]s that carry the [[pathogen]].