Communicable (contagious) diseases in SA
When people say that an illness is “going around”, they are referring to a communicable disease. Communicable diseases are contagious and are the result of spreading germs.
Causes
Communicable diseases are caused by micro organisms and transmitted from an infected person or animal to another person or animal. Some diseases are passed on by direct or indirect contact with infected persons or with their excretions. Most diseases are spread through contact or close proximity because the causative bacteria or viruses are airborne; that is, they can be expelled from the nose and mouth of the infected person and inhaled by anyone in the vicinity. Such diseases include diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, mumps, whooping cough, colds and flu, and smallpox.
Some infectious diseases can be spread only indirectly, usually through contaminated food or water, such as typhoid, cholera and dysentery. Still other infections are introduced into the body by animal or insect carriers, for example rabies, malaria and tick bite fever.
Another source of transmission is human disease carriers, people who are themselves healthy and may be immune to the organisms they harbour and spread to others. Some infective organisms require specific circumstances for their transmission, for example sexual contact in syphilis and gonorrhoea, injury in the presence of infected soil or dirt in tetanus, and infected transfusion blood or medical instruments in serum hepatitis.
In the case of HIV, while a number of different circumstances will transmit the disease, each requires the introduction of the virus into the bloodstream. A disease such as tuberculosis, on the other hand, may be transmitted in several ways – by contact (human or animal), through food or eating utensils, or by air.
Control
Control of communicable disease depends upon recognition and knowledge of the many ways in which transmission takes place. It may include isolation or even quarantine of people with certain diseases.
Apart from the control of specific diseases, such as using a condom to prevent the spread of HIV, personal hygiene (daily cleaning of the body and regular washing of hands) and a clean environment play a huge role. Sometimes it is advisable to avoid sick people.
Another measure to prevent communicable diseases is to maintain appropriate immunisations and vaccinations.
Our Employee Wellbeing Programme (EAP) is available 24 hours a day if you want to know more about communicable diseases. Call us on our EAP number or email us at
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