Classification of Diseases

Question 1

What are the four types of diseases?

Answer 1

1. Infectious
2. Deficiency
3. Genetic
4. Physiological

Question 2

Acute Diseases

Answer 2

Peak severity of symptoms manifests within three months; recovery is usually complete.

Question 3

Chronic Diseases

Answer 3

Symptoms persist for longer than three months, sometimes for the remainder of the patient’s life; recovery is slow and incomplete.

Question 4

Communicable Diseases

Answer 4

• Transmissible from one individual to another via biological agents or their products.
• Begins when causative agents lodged in, grow and reproduce within the patient’s body. (aka infection)

Question 5

Non-communicable Diseases

Answer 5

• Non-transmissible from an infected to a healthy individual.
• Contributed by many factors (genetic, environmental, behavioural)

Question 6

Endemic

Answer 6

Generally/ constantly found in a particular area or group of people.

Question 7

Epidemic

Answer 7

sudden outbreak of communicable diseases spreading through a population

Question 8

Pandemic

Answer 8

infectious disease affecting a large geographical region, usually worldwide.