Brief Summary
Namaste bachhon! This session introduces health and disease, covering the WHO's definition of health, the types of diseases (communicable and non-communicable), and the agents that cause communicable diseases. Key points include:
- Health is a state of complete physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being, not just the absence of disease.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) was established in 1948 to improve global healthcare.
- Diseases are classified as either communicable (infectious) or non-communicable (non-infectious).
- Communicable diseases are caused by pathogens like bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and worms.
Introduction
Dr. Anisha welcomes students to a bridge course session focusing on "Health and Disease," a crucial topic bridging the gap between 10th and 11th standard studies. The session aims to define health and disease, setting the stage for understanding various health conditions.
Defining Health
Health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a state of complete physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This definition includes physical condition (absence of disabilities or organ failures), mental state (absence of disorders like trauma, anxiety, or stress), social behavior (ability to interact with others), and emotional behavior (related to mental state). A deviation from this complete well-being is considered a disease or disorder.
World Health Organization (WHO)
The World Health Organization (WHO) was established on April 7, 1948, as an initiative of the United Nations following World War II to improve global health conditions. Its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland. April 7th is celebrated as World Health Day. The WHO has six major regions to oversee global health, and it has played a significant role in eradicating diseases like smallpox and polio. The WHO provides guidelines for diagnosing and evaluating diseases, determining when to declare a pandemic or epidemic.
Types of Diseases: Communicable vs. Non-Communicable
The WHO classifies diseases into two main categories: communicable (infectious) and non-communicable (non-infectious). Communicable diseases spread from one person to another, while non-communicable diseases do not. Examples of communicable diseases include malaria and the common cold. Non-communicable diseases include cardiovascular diseases (like heart stroke and cardiac arrest), diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
Agents of Communicable Diseases (Pathogens)
Communicable diseases are caused by various agents or pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and helminths (worms). Examples of bacterial pathogens include Vibrio cholerae (causing cholera), pneumonia bacteria, and tuberculosis bacteria. Viral pathogens include HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Epstein-Barr virus, and dengue virus. Fungal pathogens include those causing ringworm infections (dermatophytosis) and candidiasis.
Protozoal and Helminthic Infections
Protozoal infections are caused by unicellular eukaryotic organisms, such as Plasmodium (causing malaria) and Entamoeba histolytica (causing amoebiasis or amoebic dysentery). Helminthic infections are caused by worms, including roundworms (causing intestinal infections) and filarial worms (causing elephantiasis). These worms can be intestinal or tissue parasites, residing in various parts of the body, including the intestines, lymphatic vessels, and even the brain.
Modes of Transmission
Infections are transmitted through various modes, including bloodborne transmission (through blood), fecal-oral transmission, transmission through body fluids, aerosol transmission (through sneezing and coughing), and vector-borne transmission (through vectors like mosquitoes). These methods facilitate the spread of communicable diseases from infected individuals to healthy ones.
Class to be Continued
Due to technical difficulties, the class is adjourned and will continue tomorrow with the same topic.
