Classification of Diseases Flashcards
Disease definition
A disease is an illness or sickness characterised by specific signs or symptoms
What is the study of disease
The study of disease is called pathology, which includes the study of cause.
What are the 4 types of diseases?
- Infectious diseases
- Deficiency diseases
- Genetic diseases (both hereditary and non-hereditary)
- Psychological diseases
Acute diseases
Acute diseases are those conditions where the peak of the severity of symptoms occurs within three months (usually sooner), and recovery in those who survive is usually complete.
Two examples of acute diseases
Communicable - Pertussis (whooping cough)
Non-communicable - Appendicitis
Chronic diseases
Chronic disease or conditions are those in which symptoms surpass three months and in some cases lifelong. Recovery is slow and sometimes incomplete.
Two examples of Chronic diseases
Communicable - Lyme disease
Non-communicable - cirrhosis
Communicable (Infectious) diseases
- Diseases for which biological agents or their products are the cause and which are transmissible from one individual to another.
- The disease process begins when the causative agent is able to lodge and grow or reproduce within the body.
- The process of lodgement and growth of microorganism or virus in the host is termed infection.
Non-communicable (noninfectious) Diseases/illnesses
- Those diseases are illnesses that cannot be transmitted from an infected person to a susceptible healthy one.
- Several, or even many, factors may contribute to the development of a given non-communicable health condition.
- The contributing factors may be genetic, environmental or behavioural in nature.
Most used systems of diseases classification
World Health Organisation’s ICD (Internations statistical classification of diseases and related health problems)
Advantages of ICD
- fast aggregation of health data.
- To know the real time information about current health situation.
- Wider analysis of community health.
- Global health assessment.
Limitations of ICD
- Discussion is limited to classified diseases.
- Common term descriptions of diseases.
- Covers the most common diseases.
- Country specific modifications of certain diseases.
Chain of infection
No matter the germ, there are 6 points at which the chain can be broken and a germ can be stopped from infecting others. The 6 points include: the infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, means of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host.
Viruses - What are they and how do they get into the body to cause infection?
Viruses are found as intracellular parasites in all kinds of organisms (humans, plants, animals, bacteria)
Viruses - how do they get into the body to cause infection?
Viruses are generally spread from one person to another in droplets when someone coughs, sneezes, vomits or has sex.
Viruses - The three main steps of viral infection
Attachment (entry), Penetration (genome replication), and Uncoating (exit)
Viruses - Examples of viruses?
Influenza
HIV
Ebola
Hepatitis
Rabies
Parasites - What are they?
A parasite is an organism that lives on or in a host and gets its food from or at the expense of its host. Parasites can cause disease in humans.
Emerging Infectious diseases - what diseases are present/returning?
Emerging diseases are those that are new with no previous history in the human population.
Re-emerging diseases are those which are known but have become drug-resistant pathogens that are adapting.
Examples of re-emerging infectious diseases include cholera, pneumonia, gonorrhoea, turbeculosis, malaria
Parasites - What are endoparasites?
The parasites that live inside the body of their host. Examples include flatworms & roundworms.
Infectious diseases - In the digestive system include;
Cholera
Viral Hepatitis
bacterial food poisoning
Infectious diseases - symptoms of diseases in the digestive tract include
Pain (moderate - severe) - tummy pains = signs of indigestion, stomach ulcers & cancers.
Bleeding or change in bowel function - blood in poo = lower gastrointestinal bleeding signs of food poisoning, ulcer, cancer
Gastric reflux, vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea = nausea & vomiting are the bodies response to a pathogen in tummy/throat.
Nutritional deficiencies - malnutrition = changes in eating habits.
Food poisoning - what is it? how is it caused?
Food poisoning = gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach/intestines. It is any illness that is suddenly onset accompanied with stomach pains, vomiting caused by eating contaminated foods.
Caused by food contamination with bacteria/viruses or chemical contamination.
Cholera - what is it? how is it caused?
Acute intestinal infection caused by Vibro Colarae
Lasts between 1 > 5 days
The bacterium causes copious, painless diarrhea = severe dehydration and death if not treated.