Infectious diseases are disorders caused by organisms — such as bacteria, viruses,

fungi or parasites. Many organisms live in and on our bodies. They're normally harmless
or even helpful. But under certain conditions, some organisms may cause disease.
Some infectious diseases can be passed from person to person. Some are transmitted
by insects or other animals. And you may get others by consuming contaminated food
or water or being exposed to organisms in the environment.

Signs and symptoms vary depending on the organism causing the infection, but often
include fever and fatigue. Mild infections may respond to rest and home remedies, while
some life-threatening infections may need hospitalization.

Many infectious diseases, such as measles and chickenpox, can be prevented by

vaccines. Frequent and thorough hand-washing also helps protect you from most
infectious diseases.

Symptoms

Each infectious disease has its own specific signs and symptoms. General signs and
symptoms common to a number of infectious diseases include:

 Fever
 Diarrhea
 Fatigue
 Muscle aches
 Coughing

When to see a doctor

Seek medical attention if you:

 Have been bitten by an animal

 Are having trouble breathing
 Have been coughing for more than a week
 Have severe headache with fever
 Experience a rash or swelling
 Have unexplained or prolonged fever
 Have sudden vision problems

Causes

Infectious diseases can be caused by:

 Bacteria. These one-cell organisms are responsible for illnesses such as strep throat,
urinary tract infections and tuberculosis.
 Viruses. Even smaller than bacteria, viruses cause a multitude of diseases ranging
from the common cold to AIDS.
 Fungi. Many skin diseases, such as ringworm and athlete's foot, are caused by fungi.
Other types of fungi can infect your lungs or nervous system.
 Parasites. Malaria is caused by a tiny parasite that is transmitted by a mosquito bite.
Other parasites may be transmitted to humans from animal feces.

Direct contact

An easy way to catch most infectious diseases is by coming in contact with a person or
an animal with the infection. Infectious diseases can be spread through direct contact
such as:
 Person to person. Infectious diseases commonly spread through the direct transfer of
bacteria, viruses or other germs from one person to another. This can happen when an
individual with the bacterium or virus touches, kisses, or coughs or sneezes on
someone who isn't infected.
These germs can also spread through the exchange of body fluids from sexual contact.
The person who passes the germ may have no symptoms of the disease, but may
simply be a carrier.

 Animal to person. Being bitten or scratched by an infected animal — even a pet — can
make you sick and, in extreme circumstances, can be fatal. Handling animal waste can
be hazardous, too. For example, you can get a toxoplasmosis infection by scooping
your cat's litter box.
 Mother to unborn child. A pregnant woman may pass germs that cause infectious
diseases to her unborn baby. Some germs can pass through the placenta or through
breast milk. Germs in the vagina can also be transmitted to the baby during birth.

Indirect contact

Disease-causing organisms also can be passed by indirect contact. Many germs can
linger on an inanimate object, such as a tabletop, doorknob or faucet handle.

When you touch a doorknob handled by someone ill with the flu or a cold, for example,
you can pick up the germs he or she left behind. If you then touch your eyes, mouth or
nose before washing your hands, you may become infected.

Insect bites

Some germs rely on insect carriers — such as mosquitoes, fleas, lice or ticks — to
move from host to host. These carriers are known as vectors. Mosquitoes can carry the
malaria parasite or West Nile virus. Deer ticks may carry the bacterium that causes
Lyme disease.

Food contamination
 Disease-causing germs can also infect you through contaminated food and water. This
mechanism of transmission allows germs to be spread to many people through a single
source. Escherichia coli (E. coli), for example, is a bacterium present in or on certain
foods — such as undercooked hamburger or unpasteurized fruit juice.

Prevention

Follow these tips to decrease the risk of infection:

 Wash your hands. This is especially important before and after preparing food, before
eating, and after using the toilet. And try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth with
your hands, as that's a common way germs enter the body.
 Get vaccinated. Vaccination can drastically reduce your chances of contracting many
diseases. Make sure to keep up to date on your recommended vaccinations, as well as
your children's.
 Stay home when ill. Don't go to work if you are vomiting, have diarrhea or have a
fever. Don't send your child to school if he or she has these signs, either.
 Prepare food safely. Keep counters and other kitchen surfaces clean when preparing
meals. Cook foods to the proper temperature, using a food thermometer to check for
doneness. For ground meats, that means at least 160 F (71 C); for poultry, 165 F (74
C); and for most other meats, at least 145 F (63 C).
Also promptly refrigerate leftovers — don't let cooked foods remain at room temperature
for long periods of time.
 Don't share personal items. Use your own toothbrush, comb and razor. Avoid sharing
drinking glasses or dining utensils.
 Travel wisely. If you're traveling out of the country, talk to your doctor about any special
vaccinations — such as yellow fever, cholera, hepatitis A or B, or typhoid fever — you
may need.

Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infectious-diseases/symptoms-
causes/syc-20351173

What are infectious diseases?

Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by harmful organisms (pathogens) that get into
your body from the outside. Pathogens that cause infectious diseases are viruses,
bacteria, fungi, parasites and, rarely, prions. You can get infectious diseases from other
people, bug bites and contaminated food, water or soil.
What’s the difference between infectious diseases and noninfectious diseases?

Infectious diseases are caused by harmful organisms that get into your body from the
outside, like viruses and bacteria. Noninfectious diseases aren’t caused by outside
organisms, but by genetics, anatomical differences, getting older and the environment
you live in. You can’t get noninfectious diseases from other people, by getting a bug bite
or from your food.

The flu, measles, HIV, strep throat, COVID-19 and salmonella are all examples of
infectious diseases. Cancer, diabetes, congestive heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease
are all examples of noninfectious diseases.

What are the types of infectious diseases?

Infectious diseases can be viral, bacterial, parasitic or fungal infections. There’s also a
rare group of infectious diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies
(TSEs).

 Viral infections. Viruses are a piece of information (DNA or RNA) inside of a

protective shell (capsid). Viruses are much smaller than your cells and have no
way to reproduce on their own. They get inside your cells and use your cells’
machinery to make copies of themselves.
 Bacterial infections. Bacteria are single-celled organisms with their instructions
written on a small piece of DNA. Bacteria are all around us, including inside of
our body and on our skin. Many bacteria are harmless or even helpful, but certain
bacteria release toxins that can make you sick.
 Fungal infections. Like bacteria, there are many different fungi. They live on
and in your body. When your fungi get overgrown or when harmful fungi get into
your body through your mouth, your nose or a cut in your skin, you can get sick.
 Parasitic infections. Parasites use the bodies of other organisms to live and
reproduce. Parasites include worms (helminths) and some single-celled
organisms (protozoa).
 Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs/prion diseases). TSEs
are caused by prions — faulty proteins that cause other proteins in your body,
usually in your brain, to become faulty as well. Your body is unable to use these
proteins or get rid of them, so they build up and make you sick. Prions are an
extremely rare cause of infectious diseases.

Common infectious diseases caused by viruses:

 Common cold.
 The flu (influenza).
 COVID-19.
 Stomach flu (gastroenteritis).
 Hepatitis.
 Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Common infectious diseases caused by bacteria:

 Strep throat.
 Salmonella.
 Tuberculosis.
 Whooping cough (pertussis).
 Chlamydia, gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
 Urinary tract infections (UTIs).
 E. coli.
 Clostridioides difficile (C. diff).

Common infectious diseases caused by fungi:

 Ringworm (like athlete’s foot).

 Fungal nail infections.
 Vaginal candidiasis (vaginal yeast infection).
 Thrush.

Common infectious diseases caused by parasites:

 Giardiasis.
 Toxoplasmosis.
 Hookworms.
 Pinworms.

How are infectious diseases treated?

Treatment depends on what causes the infection. Sometimes your healthcare provider
will recommend monitoring your symptoms rather than taking medication.

 Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics. The right antibiotic depends
on what bacteria causes the infection.
 You can manage most viral infections with over-the-counter medications for your
symptoms until you feel better. If you have the flu, your healthcare provider may
prescribe oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu®) in some cases. Certain viral
infections have special medications to treat them, like antiretroviral therapy for
HIV.
 Fungal infections can be treated with antifungal medications. You can take them
orally, like fluconazole (Diflucan®) or put them on your skin just where the fungus
is, like clotrimazole (Lotrimin®).
 Parasites can be treated with antiparasitic drugs, such
as mebendazole (Emverm®).

Source: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17724-infectious-diseases