Five hundred million people around the globe are affected by infectious diseases every year, according to the World Health Organization. In 2014 alone, there were over 14 million cases of malaria and more than 20 million cases of cholera. The potential for a deadly outbreak is real and pervasive, but most people don’t know what the key risks are. This article will explore some of the deadliest infectious diseases that can be contracted today and what they can do to you.
What Are The Types Of Diseases?
There are many different types of infectious diseases, all of which can be terrifying and life-threatening. Some of the most common types of infectious diseases include:
1) Respiratory infections
These include colds and flu, both of which can be very unpleasant but generally don’t result in long-term health problems. However, respiratory infections can lead to serious complications if not treated correctly, such as pneumonia.
Pneumonia is caused when inflammation and fluid fill your lungs, and can make it difficult to breathe, as well as causing a fever and cough. It can affect one or both lungs, with the latter commonly known as bilateral or double pneumonia. Anyone of any age can contract pneumonia, but it can be particularly fatal in the elderly.
Not only does it put significant pressure on your organs, but it could also impact your mobility. This is done through damage to physiological systems as well as increased inflammation, which can reduce physical functioning. In order to get around and to live comfortably, it is recommended that you choose the right hospital bed for home use (allowing you to sleep comfortably and receive support if needed) as well as looking into mobility scooters to ensure you can still get around if your mobility becomes a problem.
This is why you must get on top of your respiratory infection before it becomes fatal.
2) Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
STIs are infections that you can get from having sex with someone who is infected. Examples of common STIs include HIV and HPV, both of which can lead to serious health problems if not treated correctly.
3) Foodborne illnesses
Foodborne illnesses occur when harmful bacteria or viruses contaminate food items that people eat. Common foodborne illnesses include salmonella and E. coli, both of which are highly lethal if not treated quickly and appropriately.
4) Childhood diseases
Childhood diseases refer to any illness or injury that a child experiences before the age of 18 years old. This can include conditions such as ear infections, chicken pox, and others. As children’s immune systems are still maturing, they are more susceptible to illness and require medical attention more often than adults. This can involve visits to doctors and medical test centers (like a local hearing test center) to diagnose and treat the condition.
How Do You Get Sick From An Infectious Disease?
If you think getting the flu is bad, just wait until you get an infection from one of these diseases. Infectious diseases can be deadly, and with no vaccine or cure available, it’s important to know what’s really going on.
So how do you get infected with an infectious disease?
Here are four ways: by breathing in air that has been contaminated with the virus, by touching something that’s infected, by eating food that has been contaminated, or by getting a cut on which the virus has landed.
Once you become infected, the virus will start working its way through your body and will eventually cause some kind of serious health problem.
Some infectious diseases are more dangerous than others. For example, whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can cause severe pneumonia and even death in young children. HIV/AIDS is another serious infection that can take years to develop full-blown symptoms, but it’s also deadly if not treated. Just think about all the things you could potentially expose yourself to if you have unprotected sex: AIDS viruses can live for up to two days on hard surfaces like glass and metal; hepatitis B virus can be spread through contact with blood, and HPV – which causes cervical cancer – is most commonly spread through sexual activity.
The good news is that most infections from these diseases are easily avoided if you take simple precautions like washing your hands often and avoiding close contact with people who are infected.
The Role Of The Immune System In Fighting An Infectious Disease
The immune system is responsible for fighting off infections. When an infection is detected, the immune system begins to work to remove the infection. To do this, the immune system works with other tissues in the body like the skin and lungs. The immune system also uses antibodies to fight against specific infections. Antibodies are proteins that help the body recognize and attack a foreign object or substance.
The immune system can work in two ways: innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Innate immunity is our natural defense and it’s activated when we’re born. It’s made up of cells called T-cells that live in the blood and lymph nodes. These cells help us recognize unusual molecules or organisms as threats and start the process of attacking them.
Adaptive immunity is what we use to fight specific infections. It starts when a person becomes infected with an infection and their immune system recognizes certain patterns on the virus or bacteria. This knowledge leads to the creation of antibodies that can fight against these patterns specifically.
Improving Your Immune System’s Defenses Against Infectious Diseases
Inflammation is a natural response to infection, and it’s essential for the immune system to fight off harmful invaders. However, inflammation can cause damage if it’s uncontrolled.
There are three main types of inflammation: acute, chronic, and autoimmune. Acute inflammation is short-term and usually results from an injury or the body’s response to an infection. Chronic inflammation lasts for a long time (several months or years) and can be caused by things like obesity, smoking, or stress. Autoimmune inflammation is caused by the body attacking its own tissues (autointoxication).
Damage from inflammation can lead to several diseases, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, arthritis, asthma, and diabetes. The good news is that there are ways to reduce the risk of developing these diseases.
