Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases kill more people worldwide than any other single cause. Infectious diseases are caused by germs. Germs are tiny living things that are found everywhere - in air, soil and water. You can get infected by touching, eating, drinking or breathing something that contains a germ. Germs can also spread through animal and insect bites, kissing and sexual contact. Vaccines, proper hand washing and medicines can help prevent infections.

There are four main kinds of germs:

Bacteria - one-celled germs that multiply quickly and may release chemicals which can make you sick
Viruses - capsules that contain genetic material, and use your own cells to multiply
Fungi - primitive vegetables, like mushrooms or mildew
Protozoa - one-celled animals that use other living things for food and a place to live

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Infectious Disease on Wikipedia

In medicine, '''infectious disease''' or '''communicable disease''' is disease caused by a biology agent (e.g. virus, bacterium or parasite), as opposed to physics (e.g. burn (injury)s) or chemistry (e.g. intoxication) causes.

Agents and vectors

Infectious disease requires an ''agent'' and a ''mode of transmission'' (or ''Vector_(biology)''). A good example is malaria, which is mainly caused by the parasite ''Plasmodium falciparum'' but does not affect humans unless the vector, the Anopheles mosquito, is around to introduce the parasite into the human bloodstream. The vector does not have to be biological. Many infectious diseases are transmitted by droplets which enter the airway (e.g. common cold and tuberculosis).

Mortality from infectious diseases

The World Health Organization collects information on global deaths by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. The following table lists the top infectious disease killers which caused more than 100,000 deaths in 2002 (estimated). 1993 data is also included for comparison. {| cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 border=1 | | |2002 | |''1993'' | |- | |World population | 6.2 billion | | 5.5 billion |- | |Total deaths from all causes | 57 million | 100% | 51 million |- | '''Rank''' | '''Cause of death''' | '''Number''' | '''Percentage of total''' | ''Number'' | ''1993 Rank'' |- | | I. Communicable diseases category | 14.9 million | 26.0% |- | 1 | :Lower respiratory tract infections | 3.9 million | 6.8% | 4.1 million | 1 |- | 2 | :HIV/AIDS | 2.8 million | 4.9% | 0.7 million | 7 |- | 3 | :Gastroenteritiss | 1.8 million | 3.2% | 3.0 million | 2 |- | 4 | :Tuberculosis (TB) | 1.6 million | 2.7% | 2.7 million | 3 |- | 5 | :Malaria ... [ Read More ]

External Resources

Canadian Federal Prisons open tattoo parlours for inmates - March 29, 2004 VANCOUVER - Corrections Canada is planning to set up tattoo parlours in six federal prisons this year. Health officials hope the parlours will reduce the spread of infectious diseases, including hepatitis C.

Biousa International - Medical diagnostic tests including pregnancy, drug, fertility and infectious diseases.

Joldon Diagnostics - A Canadian distributor of rapid test kits for on-site detection of drugs of abuse, alcohol, infectious diseases, pregnancy, and ovulation.

Infectious Awareables - Neckties, caps, boxer shorts, scarves and T-shirts to promote awareness. Printed with images based on photomicrographs of cancer cells and infectious disease organisms.

USAID Central Asia - U.S. Agency for International Development projects in the Central Asian Republics, including information on infectious diseases, civil society, independent media, agriculture, water management, and other issues.

Pathogen Molecular Biology Unit - Staff, publications and research on bacteria, parasites, viruses and vectors involved in infectious disease, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.

Proteomics Research Program for Biodefense - Centers established to provide genomic, proteomic, and bioinformatic data on life-threatening microorganisms, by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland.

Proteome Systems Ltd. - Specializes in interpretation of 2-dimensional gels, and developing point-of-care diagnostics in the areas of cystic fibrosis, cancer, infectious disease and aging. Includes alpha-amylase test, and research programs, with contacts in USA, Japan and headquarters in Sydney, Australia.

Hybrigenics - Company inviting collaboration with biopharmaceutical companies on selected proteins, for mapping interactions, validating targets for drug screening for cancer, infectious and metabolic diseases, in Paris, France.

Infection, Genetics and Evolution - This journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases (MEEGID) is a peer-reviewed journal, affiliated to the successful MEEGID congresses and society.

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