Disease Defense Team (DDT)
preserve community health by investigating outbreaks and their source
epidemiologists
health care experts who study health issues in a population
sporadic disease
occurs infrequently and irregularly
epidemic
sudden increase in case number in population
endemic
disease in community perpetually or in specific geographic area
outbreak
sudden increase in disease cases in a localized area
pandemic
epidemic that’s spread to several countries / continents and affects a large number of people
congenital
born with condition
nosocomial
hospital acquired infection (HAI)
agents of disease
organisms that cause disease
infectious diseases
caused by agents outside the human body (invade leads to harm)
infection
when an agent of disease invades and grows in another organism (host)
pathogens
infectious, disease-causing organisms; enter a host and colonize cells / tissues leading to damage
prions (proteinaceous infectious particles)
non-living submicroscopic proteins
prion exposure
tainted meat, medical equipment, corneas / organs
prion diagnosis
MRI, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, EEG, blood tests
prion treatment
none
prion prevention
clean / sterilize medical equipment, no donate organs / tissues if have prion
viruses
non-living microscopic agents made of an outer protein shell (capsid) and DNA / RNA
virus exposure
touch, saliva, blood, sexual contact
virus diagnosis
physical exam and clinical lab testing
virus treatment
antivirals, OTC
bacteria
living, microscopic, unicellular, prokaryotic organisms
bacteria exposure
through orifice (nose, eyes mouth), wound, contaminated food / water, inhalation, sexual contact, imbalance in normal flora
bacteria diagnosis
physical exam and clinical lab testing
bacteria treatment
antibiotics
bacteria prevention
vaccines, sanitary conditions, personal hygiene
protists
living, microscopic, unicellular, eukaryotic, animal-like organisms
protist exposure
contaminated feces in food / water
protist diagnosis
microscopic exam of fecal matter
protist treatment
antiprotozoal meds
protist prevention
sanitary conditions, personal hygiene
helminths
living, multicellular, eukaryotic worms (microscopic and macroscopic)
helminth exposure
contaminated food / water, infected insects
helminth diagnosis
microscopic exam of fecal matter, blood
helminth treatment
deworming meds
helminth prevention
avoid food / water with contaminated feces, infected animal meat, insect bites
fungi
living, multicellular, eukaryotic organisms (yeasts, mildews, molds, mushrooms - both microscopic and macroscopic)
fungi exposure
spores / reproductive cells inhaled or land on host
fungi diagnosis
microscopic exam of infected tissue / blood