Question

Research topic is infectious diseases.

Answer 1

Infectious diseases are those that are caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, virus, fungus or other parasites. Health-care associated infections are the infections caused by the transmission of pathogens through medical devices. The diagnostic and therapeutic procedures can transmit infectious diseases to the patient. The two means through the infections can be transmitted to a patient are,

• Direct transmission by healthcare personnel – Healthcare personnel’s with small cuts on the body, or those that do not maintain hygiene are likely to transmit the infections directly to the patient
• Through the fomites or medical devices – Inadequately sterilized medical instruments, intravenous (IV) catheters, and mechanical respirators can transmit the infectious agents to the patients.

In general, the infectious organisms invade the host cells and alter their functioning. So, these diseases are treated with antibiotics. Till now, several of the antibiotics are discovered and successfully used in the treatment of several infectious diseases. However, organisms often develop resistance these existing drugs to survive against the antibiotic. Means, these resistant strains can survive in the presence of antibiotic by developing newer mechanisms/relationships with the host cell to escape from the antibiotic. Thus, most of the infectious diseases that are commonly fatal are caused by resistant organisms or the organisms that can frequently undergo mutations to evolve newer relationships between the host and parasite.

The following are the factors that attribute the emergence of infectious diseases:

1). Development of resistant strains. The more frequently mutating organisms develop newer strains from time to time. These infections are difficult to control because the drugs that are already present remain not effective, so the immediate regulation of disease spread becomes problematic. Eg: Influenza caused by H1N1 virus.

2). Lack of awareness among the people: This is another important factor responsible for the spread of infectious diseases. Sexually transmitted diseases more happen due to the lack of knowledge regarding their spread.

3). Improper health care: To prevent the quick spread of a new infection, certain precautions like the isolation of infected people, regulation of people travel to and from the other regions, etc. are needed. Identification of mode of spread of the disease is needed to inhibit its spread.

4). Malnutrition and poverty: These are the other key factors that cause the rapid spread of diseases.