Disease

Normally human body and the life processes in it are functioning smoothly.

• But there are micro-organisms around us which can do us harm by entering our body through food, water or air.

Because of these harmful things entering our body, our normal physical condition and

overall health are all disturbed.

• This is called as disease.

The white blood cells in our body creates the resistance to the disease causing things.

.• But if the harmful germs are

more and the resistance power of white blood cells is less then the person falls prey to the disease.

• When a person becomes ill, his or her normal physical and mental condition and overall health are all disturbed.

According to their mode of spreading , diseases are classified

• Polluted food, water, air and also contact with the diseased person and using his things can let the harmful germs enter our body.

Types of diseases

EpidemicCertain changes in the weather

Communicable Constant sharing of space with a diseased person

ContagiousDirect contact or using the things of diseased person

Cholera Tuberculosis Scabies

typhoid Influenza eczema

influenza naayaTadiarrhoea

conjunctivitis

Chickenpox

• Reasons : When the disease producing virus enters the body with the air that is breathed in or by contact with an infected person or by using the infected person’s clothes, utensils, etc.

• Main Symptons: Small boils on the skin like blisters, high fever, headache.

• Preventive Measures: A person does not generally get chickenpox a second time.

Polio

• Reasons: Through food, water or air contaminated with polio virus.

• Symptons: Fever, Throat becomes red, strain is felt in the muscles of the back and legs, weakness in the muscles of arms or legs, growth of muscles is arrested.

• Preventive Measures : Vaccination , Proper Medical treatment

Rabies

• Reasons : Bite of an affected dog, monkey, cat or rabbit.

• Symptons : Severe headache, fever, throat muscles become rigid and contracted with severe pain, liquid or even water cannot be swallowed, fear of water, Patient is delirious, limbs become flaccid and go into spasm.

• Preventive Measures: Clean the wound with soap and water,

take required no. of injections of anti-rabies , along with your pet animals, also take anticholera injections.

Tuberculosis

• Reasons : Germs enter air through the spittle of the

patient,• Symptons : Cough, Low grade fever, Blood in spittle,

loss of weight, Pain in the chest, difficulty in breathing.

• Preventive measures : BCG Vaccination, isolating the patient, Medical treatment.

Typhoid

• Reasons : Through contaminated food and water also through houseflies

• Symptons : Fever that lasts for a definite period, rose coloured rash on the chest, diarrhoea, headache

• Preventive measures : Taking typhoid vaccine, drinking boiled water, not eating outside uncovered food, eating only clean fresh food, keeping food covered at home,

maintaining public hygiene.

Cholera

• Reasons : Water or food contaminated through houseflies

• Symptons : Severe diarrhoea and vomitting, dehydration, dry

skin, sunken eyes, stomachache, cramps in the legs .• Preventive measures : Maintaining hygiene in public places,

controlling houseflies, not eating uncovered food, drinking boiled water and taking cholera vaccine.

Enteritis

• Reasons : Contagious disease, inflammation of the inner lining of the Intestine due to infection by bacteria, virus or worms

• Symptons : Stomacache, fever, Vomiting, Loss of appetite,

diarrhoea or constipation, Loss of weight .• Preventive measures : Consume only safe food and water,

Maintain personal cleanliness

Diarrhoea

• Reasons : Through food via houseflies and also through contaminated water, milk

• Symptons : Dehydration, sunken eyes, dry mouth and lips, reduced urine formation, cold hands and feet, Slow pulse rate.

• Preventive measures : Drink boiled and cooled water , maintain personal cleanliness and cleanliness in cooking area, wash fruit and vegetables before use.

AIDS

• Reasons : Infection by HIV virus

• Symptons : Lose their ability to fight disease and hence they contract diseases frequently.

• Preventive measures: Appropriate medical treatment and extending helping hand to the patient.

Body Water –Very Important for functioning of various body parts.

• Water level in the body decreases due to vomitting, loose motion in cholera, diarrhoea and body becomes dry. This is called dehydration. Due to this there are chances of death as well.• To make for the loss of water due to loose motions or diarrhoea, Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) is given to patient.• 1 spoon of sugar is added to 1 glass of water along with a pinch

of salt and this stirred solution (ORS) is given to the patient.• In case of diarrhoea, the absorptive function of the intestine is

disturbed. However the sugar in the ORS can be absorbed in the body. Along with sugar, salt and water are also absorbed giving temporary relief till further medical treatment is given. This avoids the possible serious consequences.

Preventive Measures

It is better to prevent disease than to cure and treat them medically. To avoid the disease causing germs, bacteria to enter the body and even if they , they should get distroyed is called Vaccination.

Diseases can be prevented by following certain habits of personal hygiene and keeping our surrounding clean and taking vaccines .

Vaccination

• To prevent the danger of disease or to prevent an epidemic, Government implements various vaccination programmes through Health department.

• In this there is vaccine available for everyone during epidemic . Also various types of vaccines to build immunity of the child against various diseases since birth are given to every children at their growth stage

from time to time.

Government’s Vaccination Programme

• B.C.G - Tuberculosis• Triple vaccine – diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus• Double vaccine- diphtheria, tetanus• Tetanus• Hepatitis-B

General measures for the prevention of diseases

• Drink filtered and boiled water.• Taking a balanced diet.• Learning healthy habits.• Maintaining personal hygiene as well as keeping our

surrounding clean.• Taking proper medical treatment immediately if

symptons of diseases are seen.• Not to treat with half knowledge without having

proper scientific information.• Having basic awareness of disease.

More Information

• Plague, devidevi such diseases have been eradicated .

• Sometimes diseases like malaria, dengue spreads out fast .

• Sometimes diseases like swine flu are spread through a person travelling in foreign countries.

• During such time don’t fall prey to rumors, rather try to get appropriate scientific information .