H E A LT H A N D D IS E A S E

A cco rd in g to th e W o rld H ea lth O rg an iza tio n (W H O ), h e a lth is a s ta te o f co m p le te p h y s ica l, m en ta l an d so c ia l w ell-b e in g .

A  d is e a s e  is an ab n o rm al co n d itio n affec tin g th e b o d y o f an   o rg an ism . It is o ften asso c ia ted w ith sp ec ific  sy m p to m s an d  s ig n s .

TYPES OF DISEASESThere are two types of d iseases: infectious and non-infectious.

N on -in fectiou s d iseases are no t caused by m icroorgan ism s, so they are never con tag ious. T hey can be hered itary o r can be related to :- age ( like  os teoporos is,  A lzheim er 's d isease,  cataracts) - n on -h ea lth y w ays of life, like drugs or alcohol consum ption , sm oking o r lack o f physical exercise (such as cancers, stroke and pu lm onary or card iovascu lar d iseases) .

In fectiou s d iseases are caused by pathogen ic m icroorganism s, such as bacteria, v iruses, parasites or fungi.

If the d isease can be transm itted from one person to ano ther, it is called a con tag iou s in fectiou s d isease .

If the d isease can 't be transm itted , it is called a n on - con tagiou s in fectiou s d isease.

NON INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Illness:

1. Congenital: exist at birth.2. Hereditary: from parents.3. Deficit: abscence of any substance.4. Chronic: prolonged and no possible cure.5. Autoinmmune6. Aging

Any disease may belong to 2 or more groups.

WAYS OF TRANSMISSION OF CONTAGIOUS INFECTIOUS DISEASES

A contagious infectious disease can be transm itted through two ways of transm ission:

In th e d irect tra n s m is s io n ,th e p a th o g en p as s es d irectly fro m an ill p er so n to a h ea lth y o n e, b y d irect co n tact, s n eeze , co u g h , e tc .

In th e in d irect tra n s m is s io n ,th e p a th o g en u s es v eh ic les o r v ec to rs to p as s fro m o n e p ers o n to an o th er. T h ese v ecto rs can b e w ater, fo o d o r an im als .

STAGES IN INFECTIOUS DISEASEST h ere are th ree stag es in in fec tio u s d iseases:

1 T h e   in cu b a tio n p er io d   is th e t im e b e tw een th e in fec tio n an d the ap p earan ce o f sym p to m s.

S o m e d iseases hav e a la ten cy p er io d , in w h ich  th e p a th o g en h as in fec ted th e b o d y, b u t i t rem ain s in ac tiv e an d can 't b e tran sm itted to o th er p eo p le .

2

D u r in g th e a cu te p er io d th e sy m p to m s o f th e d isease o ccu r.

3

T h e co n v a lescen ce p er io d is th e t im e w h en th e p a th o g en s a re e l im in ated , th e sy m p to m s d isap p ear an d th e p erso n reco v ers ag a in .

Epidemics and pandemics:When an illness is very extended:

Epidemic affects a city or a country. Pandemic affect to a continent or the world.

Fighting against illnesses: Treatment with drugs. Surgical operations. Preventive medicine: vaccines.

T h e im m u n e s y s tem is a sy s tem o f b io lo g ica l s tru c tu res an d p ro ces s es w ith in an o rg an is m th a t p ro v id es im m u n ity , i.e ., p ro tec ts u s ag a in s t p ath o g en s .

T h is r es p o n s e to p a th o g en s is th e im m u n e resp o n s e .

T h ere are tw o ty p es o f im m u n ity :

In n ate im m u n ity, O u ter d efen s es o r b a rriers . T h ey p rev en t p a th o g en s fro m en terin g th e b o d y.T h e in fla m m a to ry re a ctio n . M acro p h ag es

A d ap tiv e o r acq u ired im m u n ityLy m p h o cytes. A n tib o d ies

T H E B O D Y 'S D E F E N S E S

ILLNESS

Illness caused by viruses:

a) Common cold: discomfort, nasal secretions, congestion. Not fever. Trasmitted by air.

b) Flu: Similar symptoms.c) AIDS: HIV virus. Attacks defence system.

No medicines against viruses. Antibiotics for bacterias. Drugs against symptoms.

ILLNESS

Illness caused by bacterias:

More resistant than viruses. Examples:a) Salmonella: contaminated foods.

High fever and digestive disorders.

b) Tetanus: rusted metals, caused by Chlostridium tetani. Affects to nervous systems.

Treated by antibiotics, that kill or prevent growth of bacterias.

ILLNESS

Illness caused by fungi: Very contagious, related to lack of

hygiene. Not serious, difficult for cure. Examples: Candidiasis and Athlete´s foot.

Illness caused by protozoa: Common in tropical regions. Malaria or paludism caused by

Plasmodium. By mosquito. Sleeping sickness caused by

Trypanosoma. By tse-tse fly.

C H E M IS T R Y I N D I S E A S E . VA C C I N E S

W e can g e t a rt ific ia l im m u n iza t io n b y u sin g v a ccin es . T h ey can p rev en t a d isease f ro m occu rr in g . T h ey co n ta in k il led o r in a ct iv e p a th og en s o r so m e o f th e ir p ro d u cts , su ch as to x in s o r su r face p ro te in s, so th a t a p r im ary im m u n e resp o n se co m es o u t an d lo n g - liv ed m em o ry ce lls fo r th e v iru s o r th e b acte r ia a re c rea ted .

T h is w ay, th e n ex t t im e th e p a th o g en en te rs th e b o d y, a seco n d a ry im m u n e resp o n se w ill lau n ch o u t an d i t w ill n o t cau se an y d isease o r th is w il l b e m ild e r.

C H E M IS T R Y I N D I S E A S E . M E D I C I N E S

I f a d isease h as b een p ro v o k ed b y b ac te r ia , i t can b e fou g h t b y a n tib io t ics , w h ich k il l b ac ter ia o r p rev en t th em fro m m u lt ip ly in g .

A n tiv ira ls can d estro y v iru ses , b u t th ey a re n o t as e ffec t iv e as an tib io t ics a re ag a in st b ac te r ia .

O n ce a d isease h as sta r ted , i t m ay b e fo u g h t b y u sin g m ed ic in es.

S eru m is a ch em ica l m ix tu re th a t co n ta in s an t ib o d ies fo r a p a th o g en o r a tox in . It is u sed w h en an tib io tics o r an tiv ira ls a re n o t e ffec t iv e , as i t o ccu rs w h en th e d isease is n o t p ro v o k ed b y th e p a th o g en d irec t ly, b u t b y i ts tox in s ( like te tan us) o r in cases o f in to x ica tio n o r an im al b i tes ( sn ak es, sp id ers)

O th er m ed ic in es can re l iev e th e sy m p to m s o f a d isease , b u t th ey can n o t cu re i t .

ILLNESS. CANCERCancer:

Alteration in the division of cells: rapidly and uncontrolled tumor cancer.

Detecting: blood analysis, X-rays, scanners. Metastasis: spreading of cancer. Failure in organs. Fight: chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Prevention: hereditary factors + carcinogens.