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Human Illnesses

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Human Illnesses

A disease is something that stops the body from functioning normally. A disease's symptoms may be visible or invisible.

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Causes of diseases

  • Diseases are normally caused by microorganisms including:
    • Fungi
    • Viruses
    • Bacteria
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Transmission of diseases

  • Diseases can be transmitted in numerous ways:
    • Through the air
    • Direct contact
    • Food and water
    • Sexually
    • Genetically
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Communicable diseases

  • Diseases that can be spread to others are called communicable diseases.
  • Examples of communicable diseases include:
    • Chickenpox
    • Covid
    • Colds
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Non-communicable diseases

  • Diseases that cannot be spread to others are called non-communicable diseases.
  • Examples of non-communicable diseases include:
    • Cancer
    • Diabetes
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Diseases spread by Fungi

  • Ringworm is a disease caused by a fungal infection.
  • Ringworm can cause a ring-shaped rash
    • A ringworm rash can be very itchy and dry.
    • A ringworm rash may swell.
  • Ringworm can be treated by antifungal medicine.

Bacterial and Viral Infections

Some diseases are caused by bacterial and viruses.

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Diseases spread by bacteria

  • Salmonella is caused by a bacteria that lives in the gut of animals.
  • People can get salmonella from:
    • Eating undercooked food
    • Practising poor hygiene, such as not washing their hands
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Symptoms of salmonella

  • Symptoms of salmonella include:
    • Diarrhea
    • Severe stomach pain
    • Vomiting
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Recovering from Salmonella

  • Recovering from a salmonella infection may take over a month.
    • Antibiotics may be required to help fight the infection.
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Diseases spread by viruses

  • Influenza spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
    • That cough or sneeze spreads droplets containing influenza through the air.
    • Someone who breathes in the droplets could become infected.
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Symptoms of influenza

  • Symptoms of influenza:
    • High temperatures
    • Headaches
    • Cough
    • Fatigue
    • Diarrhea
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Treatment of Influenza

  • There is no direct treatment for viruses such as influenza.
    • Doctors advise drinking lots of water and resting.

Jump to other topics

1Biology

1.1Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2Reproduction & Variation

1.3Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4Digestion & Nutrition

1.5Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6Biological Systems & Processes

2Chemistry

2.1Particles

2.2Chemical Reactions

2.3Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4The Periodic Table

2.5Materials & the Earth

2.6Reactivity

2.7Energetics

2.8Properties of Materials

3Physics

3.1Energy

3.2Forces & Motion

3.3Waves

3.4Electricity & Magnetism

3.5Matter

3.6Space Physics

4Thinking Scientifically

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