Contagious Diseases

Kwashiorkor
VITAMIN A
DeficiencyVITAMIN C DEFICIENCY
SoreEyes
Chronic Bronchitis
CommonCold
Cont gious
Dise ses
Chicken Pox
Cholera
Whooping Cough Measles
Pneumonia
Dengue
Fever
Typhoid Fever

1. MAN. Man spreads a contagious disease directly or indirectly. He is a carrier
even if he has not been sick with the disease, but carries the germs with him.
How can man spread contagious disease directly? It is through talking, sleeping or
holding hands with the sick person.
Man can spread a contagious disease indirectly through handling the things used or
touched by an infected person.
How can we prevent the spread of germs? It is necessary that persons who are sick
should stay away from others. Avoid touching the things that they have handled and
immediately disinfect these through boiling, drying, burning or the use of chemicals.
A person who has phlegm should not spit anywhere. He should only spit in cuspidors
which should be covered when not in use.
Carriers of Contagious Diseases
There are three agent-carriers of disease germs according to Menez (1970) and these
are:

2. WATER. Drinking water is another carrier of a disease. We
also get the disease by using the glass and utensils of a sick
person.
3. FOOD. Food is also a carrier of disease, so let us avoid
eating unsanitary food. Left-over food should always be
covered so that flies, rats and cockroaches will not step on
them.
Carriers of Contagious Diseases
There are three agent-carriers of disease germs according to Menez (1970) and these
are:

The Common Deficiency Diseases
INADEQUATE NUTRIENTS IN THE BODY. As the children grow up, it
has not been noted that the quantity of balanced food they eat goes
down.
Hereunder are the common deficiency diseases:
1. KWASHIORKOR. It is a
global problem in malnutrition. It
is brought by calorie deficiency.
This is related to the failure of
breast feeding and is common
among infants.

One of the effects of this deficiency is night blindness. Another is teomalacia. A
person suffering from this deficiency has difficulty in climbing stairs and in
walking. There is a pain of the rheumatic type on bones and legs and the lower
part of the back.
VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY.

If there is inadequate intake of Vitamin
B, a person will suffer from beri-beri.
This is considered as severe
deficiency. Gastrointestinal
disturbances resulting from impartment
of the motor processes through the
intestinal tract is one of the symptoms.
There is macular weakness, paralysis
of the lower limb caused by a multiple
neurotic condition may occur.
This can be treated and the patient will
make the greatest improvement if
there is more intakes of B complex
rather than thiamine alone.
VITAMIN B DEFICIENCY.

If the tissue has been saturated with ascorbic acid, several months of dietary
deprivation may occur before symptoms of deficiency may be manifested. A person
who suffers from this deficiency has poor wound healing; irritably to infection is among the
signs of deficiency.
VITAMIN C DEFICIENCY
A person who lacks Vitamin C will
suffer from scurvy. Pain and swelling
of the thighs and legs are present.
The baby is pale
and irritable, cries
when handled. Loss
of weight, fever,
diarrhea, and
vomiting are
present. If the teeth
are erupted, the
gums are likely to be
swollen.

Common Communicable Diseases
DISEASE. The abnormal state or functioning of all or part of the
organism. It is also an alteration of the dynamic interaction
between an individual and his environment. On the other hand, a
communicable disease is a disease that can be transferred from
the source to another person.
Some signs of diseases are abnormal changes in temperature,
pulse rate and respiratory rate. Symptoms are pain and
restlessness, though these may not be the same for all persons.

SORE EYES (Conjunctivitis, Pink Eyes and Red Eyes.
In conjunctivitis, the surface of the eyeball and the inside of the eyelids become
inflamed from exposure to dust and germs. It is more commonly known as pink
eyes or sore eyes due to the redness, swelling and yellow pus that come with it. In
a new born baby, sticky eyes or a yellow discharge from the eyes may not be due
to sore eyes, but to a sexually transmitted disease.
The following are the different communicable
diseases:
There are several symptoms of sore
eyes such as:
1. The eyes are very itchy,
2. Redness in one or both eyes,
3. Tearing (watery eyes),
4. Mild pain
5. Uncomfortable gritty sensation,
6. Uneasy in bright lights,
7. Yellow discharge (pus) from the
eyes in the presence of bacterial
infection, and
8. Encrusted eyelids upon walking
in the morning.

Conjunctivitis
Pink Eyes
Red Eyes

CHRONIC BRONCHITIS. (CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE
LUNG DISEASES, SMOKER’S COUGH, EMPHYSEMA,
BRONCHITIS.) This is a common sickness among the children and
weak adults. It is most often a result of a common cold. Enlarged
adenoids and tonsils of children may lead to repeated attacks of
bronchitis. Bronchitis is caused by cigarette smoking and air pollution.
The symptoms are the following:
1. Shortness of breath
2. Tiredness,
3. Due to lack of oxygen, the person could have
bluish lips and complexion,
4. Swollen ankles and legs, and
5. Persistent cough with thick phlegm
throughout the day and night.

COMMON COLD (BLOCKED NOSE, RUNNY NOSE). The
common cold is a viral infection of the upper air passages, which causes the inflammation of the mucous
membranes lining the nose and throat. A cold is easily spread via coughing or sneezing and by direct contact.
Other ways of catching colds are staying in very warm or cold rooms, lack of outdoor exercise, poor diet
including overeating sugary and fatty foods, and having diseased tonsils and adenoids.
A person is susceptible to cold because of his low resistance, which allows the viruses to enter his body.
Allergic disorders of nose and throat also make a person more susceptible to colds and other viral infections.
The symptoms are:
1. Malaise
2. Congestion of the nasal passages,
3. 3. Sneezing and severe throbbing headache,
4. Cough
5. Sore Throat, hoarseness
6. Congested or runny nose
7. Watery eyes
8. Body aches
9. Mild Fever, and
10. Chills

Take note of the following:
1. Bed rest is still the best treatment for any severe cold.
2. A hot bath may help to relieve much of the congestion in the chest and
nasal membrane.
3. Inhale steam to loosen nasal congestion and ease expulsion of mucus.
4. Blow your nose frequently, blocking only one nostril at a time to keep
the nasal secretions from being forced into the sinuses and the middle
ear and infecting the. Immediately throw used paper tissues to avoid
spreading the virus.
5. Take medicine and drink plenty of fluids, particularly hot fluids.
6. If symptoms persist, consult a doctor.
To avoid the disease, eat a balanced diet and have regular exercise to keep
healthy. Avoid staying in overcrowded places.

CHICKENPOX (HERPES ZOSTER, SHINGLES).
These are mild, highly contagious diseases, which affect young ones during
their early years, but are more severe in adults. Infection is easily spread via
airborne droplets that are exhaled or expelled (e.g. when coughing or
sneezing), causing outbreaks in places where there are close person-to-
person contacts.
The following symptoms are:
1. Begin with a low-grade fever,
2. Sever itch,
3. Mild headache
4. Feeling of weakness
5. Runny nose
6. Small teardrop shaped blisters
appear on the skin, mostly on the
upper back or chest, and
7. In more severe cases, the face and
extremities are also involved.

What should be done:
1. Take a complete rest until all blisters have dried up.
2. Do not burst the blisters, scratch, or peel off the scabs to
avoid spreading the viral infection, as well as to prevent
secondary bacterial infection and scarring. Trim a child’s
fingernails or put mittens on his hands to keep him from
scratching.
3. Bathe the skin daily with soap and warm water.
4. Calamine lotion and talcum powder are helpful in controlling
itching.
5. Take medicine for the fever; this will also take care of the
aches.
6. Consult a doctor if your child has the symptoms and has not
had the disease.

“EL TOR” OR CHOLERA. This is another
contagious and serious disease which is an infection
of the small intestine, characterized by severe
diarrhea that causes a person to lose up to half a liter
of water an hour. It is caused by germs taken into the
body through food and drink.
It is spread by improper ways of doing away with
human waste. When waste is thrown on the ground,
brook or river, or used as fertilizers, it infects wells,
ponds and streams. People who get their drinking
water from these sources, may have the disease.
Rats, cockroaches, flies and ants are also carriers of
“El Tor” or cholera. They may have fed from the stool
thrown, so when they crawl or step on the food, they
leave germs on it.

Symptoms:
1. Pain in the back or in the legs and arms.
2. Frequent bowel movement. The stool appears thin and whitish like rice
water.
3. Vomiting and dehydration (severe thirst, dry lips and tongue, little or no urine
passed.)
What can you do:
Immediately go to the Emergency Department of the nearest hospital if you have
symptoms of cholera. Delay in seeking treatment can lead to severe dehydration.
What you should bear in mind:
1. Cover food and store it safely away from cockroaches, flies and rats, all of
which can spread the disease.
2. Don’t go to places, which are dirty, (e.g eateries with poor hygiene standards)
and areas with poor sanitation.
3. Wash your hands thoroughyl with soap and water after using toilet.
4. Avoid areas where cholera is always present.
5. Have yoursef immunized against cholera when traveling to an endemic area.

WHOOPING COUGH
(PERTUSSIS). Is a serious and
contagious bacterial infection of the
bronchial tubes, larynx and lungs. It is
transmitted by direct contact with the
affected person or by indirect contact,
such as breathing in air containing
infected droplets.
The attack of whooping cough may last
as long as six weeks. It is a distressing
disease to both parents and children, and
may result in damage to lungs and
bronchial tubes, particularly in
youngsters. The younger the child, the
more serious the disease.

Early symptoms are:
1. Fever
2. Runny nose
3. Dry cough with sputum
Late Stages of Pertussis:
1. There are severe, continual bouts of coughing lasting up to a minute with a
“whooping” sound at the end of each cough as the child grasps for breath.
2. The child’s face may turn red from effort or blue from lack of oxygen while
coughing.
3. Fever
How to prevent whooping cough:
1. Stay away from persons who have whooping cough, especially if your
resistance to infection is low.
2. Immunize against whooping cough.

What you should do:
1. Isolate the child from the rest of the family and
community.
2. Use a cool-mist humidifier or steam inhalation to
soothe the cough and help loosen bronchial and
lungs secretions.
3. Keep the child in bed until the fever subsides;
resuming normal activity slowly when the child is
up and become stronger.
4. Encourage the child to drink plenty of fluids such
as fruit juice, carbonated drinks and soups.

MEASLES. It is a highly
contagious viral infection that
usually occurs in the epidermis.
It is marked by fever and a rash
similar to that rubella (German
measles). But unlike rubella,
which is usually mild, measles
can be dangerous and even life-
threatening. The disease is
common in childhood, although
it can occur at any age. A person
who has been infected with
measles becomes immune in life.

Symptoms:
1. Chills and high fever, which do not subside when the rush appears.
2. Hacking cough
3. Runny nose
4. Cough, sore throat
5. Red, swollen eyes, tearing
6. General feeling of weakness and lassitude
7. A red rash (spots which sometime merge into blotches) that appear about 4 days
after the fever starts.
8. Abdominal pain
9. Diarrhea, vomiting
Causes: Infection by measles virus, spreads via airborne droplets expelled when coughing
or sneezing.
Prevention Tips:
Immunization of children 9-24 months of age against measles in the form of MMR
(measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine.

What you should do:
1. Keep the patient in the bed up to one week after the rash has
disappeared to avoid spreading the disease, in a cool room to
protect his eyes from bright sunlight. Keep him away from
pregnant women.
2. Drink plenty of fluids.
3. Take antifever medicine. If the fever is high, sponge with
lukewarm water (especially for children). Leave the moisture on
the body to dry to have a cooling effect. Keep sponging until
the fever goes down.
4. Give him appropriate cough syrup. Fro productive cough
(cough that brings up phlegm), take an expectorant. For dry
cough, take a cough suppressant.
5. Apply calamine lotion several times a day if the skin is very
itchy and keep the skin clean by frequent bathing.
6. Consult a doctor if there is a breathing difficulty, persistent fever
or cough, drowsiness, earache, or convulsions.

PNEUMONIA. This is a
respiratory disease caused by
a certain kind of bacteria. It is
the inflammation of the lungs.
The disease is more common
in childhood and old age, and
in those with impaired immune
systems 9e.g., diabetics AIDS
victims, alcoholics).
Pneumonia can be life-
threatening.

Symptoms:
1. Chills and severe pain in the chest
2. High fever, sweating, chils
3. Breathing becomes difficult and fast
4. Tiredness, weakness
5. Cough, phlegm, (blood-stained, green or yellow), in some cases
6. Dizziness and vomiting
7. Sweats plentifully and sinks into a deep sleep
8. Headache, body aches, tiredness
9. Blue-lips, in severe cases
Causes:
Lung infection by bacteria, viruses, or others organisms (fungi,
mycoplasma, protozoa).

What should you do:
1. Careful treatment of colds, coughs and chilling.
2. Take appropriate antifever and cough medicines.
3. Avoid staying out in the cold or in a damp place without
enough protection.
4. Do steam inhalations to loosen a congested nose and
make the expulsion of mucus easier.
5. Consult a doctor immediately.
Prevention Tips:
Immunization with pneumococcal vaccine.

TUBERCULOSIS (TB). Better
known as TB, is a highly contagious
bacterial infection usually affecting the
lungs. This is a disease which is the
most common of death in the
Philippines. Today, with new discoveries
in medicine, TB in its early stages can
be cured. As in other diseases,
however, prevention is better than cure.
A less common type of TB, which
comes from contaminated cow’s milk,
attacks the lymphatic system. Other
organs, or bones. TB attacks those
whose body resistance is weak.

Symptoms:
1. Fever
2. Sweating, especially at night
3. Malaise
4. Tiredness, weakness
5. Poor appetite
TB of the Lungs:
1. Chronic cough
2. Blood in the sputum
3. Chest pain
4. Shortness of breath
5. Swelling in the neck due to enlarged lymph modes

TB of the Intestines:
1. Abdominal pain due to chronic indigestion
2. Chronic diarrhea
3. Weight loss
Causes: Infection with the Mycobacterium tuberculosis or, rarely,
Mycobacterium bovis, which comes from infected cows.
Prevention:
1. Immunization at birth with BCG vaccine. A booster dose may be given
to children 12 or a6 years of age.
2. Immunization of adults who live in close contact with one who is an
active case of TB.

What you should do:
1. Eat a balance diet, get plenty of fresh air and
sunshine and have sufficient rest.
2. Do not drink alcohol. Stop smoking.
3. Inform members of your family and people with
whom you are in close contact of the infection and
convince them to see a doctor as well.
4. Take the prescribed course of medication without
fail. If you interrupt or stop medication too early,
you may develop drug resistant tuberculosis.
5. Consult a doctor if you think you have tuberculosis.

DENGUE FEVER (DENGUE
HOMMORHAGIC FEVER) Is also
known as ‘H-Fever” is an acute viral
infection. It is transmitted to humans
by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito. It
breeds in places where there is
stagnant water. One of the
symptoms is extreme muscle pain.
Although no specific treatment or
vaccine is yet available for dengue
fever, it is not life-threatening.
However, dengue hemorrhagic fever,
a severe form of the disease that
affects children and ypung people
causes heavy bleeding and can be
fatal.

• Dengue
• Hemorrhagic
• Fever

Typhoid fever is a bacterial
infection that first attacks the
intestines, and then spreads
to the liver, spleen and gall
bladder. The disease is highly
infectious, transmitted through
contaminated food and water.
Even after a person has
recovered from typhoid fever,
he may remain a carrier of the
bacteria for years. Typhoid
fever can be fatal if not
treated promptly.
TYPHOID FEVER
Symptoms:
First week:
1. Severe headache, cough, high
fever, weakness
2. Loss of appetite, malaise,
tiredness, weakness
3. Constipation
, abdominal pain
Second to Third week:
1. High fever
2. Diarrhea
3. Extreme weakness
4. Weight loss
5. Painful, swollen and tender
abdomen
6. Raised pink spots on the
abdomen and chest, as fever
subsides

Causes:
Infection with Salmonella typhi bacteria. The disease spreads quickly in places or areas
with improper sanitation, or unhygienic practices, sometimes causing an epidemic.
Prevention Tips:
1. Avoid unhygienic places and areas with poor sanitation.
2. Avoid area where typhoid fever is endemic (always present). Take the following
precautions in such areas:
• Boil your drinking water or stick to bottled drinks.
• Do not eat ready-cut fruit, only freshly cut ones.
• Eat only freshly cooked food.
• Stay away from raw salads, ice cream, and ice cubes.
• Cover food and store safely away from cockroaches, flies and rats.
1. Immunization is recommended only for those who may be exposed due to
occupation (e.g. microbiologist medical technologist), traveler to endemic areas or
household members of known “carriers” or person without signs and symptoms but
who are sources of the disease.
2. Thoroughly wash your hands soap and clean water after using the toilet, and
before preparing food or eating, especially if you have the disease or observe its
symptoms.

This is a contagious disease that
occurs most frequently in children
and young people between the
ages of five and fifteen years.
Most people have mumps once in
their lives. This disease is caused
by a virus which attacks the
salivary glands of the mouth,
particularly in the parotid glands
located on each side of the face
below and front of the ear. After a
young person is exposed to a
case of mumps, it takes two
weeks before he is cured of the
disease.
MUMPS

Symptoms:
1. Pain in chewing and swallowing.
2. Painful in swelling develop at the sides of the face and below the ears.
3. Glands under the skin may also become enlarged and swollen, and
there maybe a slight fever.
What should you do:
1. Keep the patient in the bed for several days until the temperature
returns to normal.
2. Local application of heat or an ice bag over the affected area will help
to relieve some of the discomfort.
3. Use a good cleansing mouthwash to keep the membrane clean.
4. Be sure the patient has plenty of fluids and preferably a soft diet.
5. Consult a doctor.

AIDS
AIDS is an acronym for “AQUIRED IMMUNE
DEFFIENCY SYNDROME”. It is caused by the
Human T-Lymphotropic Virus III or the HTLV-III
virus. It is a commonly called HIV or
IMMUNODIFFIENCY VIRUS.

Symptoms:
HIV infection (early stages):
 No infection. HIV has an incubation period of 5-10 years, a condition
that normally lasts for many years. However, HIV infection is a condition
which is incurable. An HIV is highly infectious even without
symptoms.
HIV infection (middle stage):
 Symptoms resembling those glandular fever (high fever, swollen lymph
nodes).
 Recurring flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, and loss of appetite, body
aches, tiredness and weakness).
 Recurring month or skin infections, symptoms of common infections
(due to a decreased resistance level).
 Sweats.
 Significant weight loss.

Full-blown AIDS (final stage)
1. Chronic diarrhea.
2. Lung infections (e.g., pneumonia, pulmonary or disseminated tuberculosis),
marked by breathing difficulty, chest pain, and cough.
3. Kaposi’s sarcoma, a skin cancer marked by pink/purple raised skin patches
or nodules.
4. Brain infection or cancer, marked by disorientation, fever, headaches,
nausea, and blurred vision.
5. Skin infection, usually around the anus, genitals, and mouth.
Causes
1. HIV infection, which’ damages the body’s immune system (defense against
infection).
2. The virus progressively destroys T-cells (white blood cells that are vital to
the body’s defense.
3. HIV can be transmitted during anal, oral, or vaginal sexual contact; when
receiving infected blood transfusion; when sharing hypodermic needles
(e.g., drug users); and during pregnancy and childbirth.

Note
HIV infection of AIDS is not transmitted by:
1. Casual physical contact (e.g. kissing, touching)
2. Airborne droplets expelled when coughing or sneezing
3. Donating blood, as the equipment used is disposable
4. Mosquito or other insect bites
5. Sharing food or utensils
6. Public toilets
7. Swimming pools
What you can do:
1. Consult a doctor if you suspect HIV infection.
2. Obtain personal counseling services. See HELPLINES.
3. Avoid sex, particularly unprotected sex. Use condoms, as these provide the
possible (but not total) protection against infection (but not 100%).

MANILA, Philippines—Four hundred eighty-six new cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which
could lead to the fatal Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), were reported in February, a 43-percent
increase from figures seen in the same period in 2013, the Department of Health said.
Out of 486 cases, 36 were already full-blown AIDS, it added.
The number of new cases brings to 934 the total reported HIV cases from January to February 2014, and to
17,450 from 1984 to 2014.
Data from the Philippine HIV and AIDS Registry showed that the bulk of the new HIV cases were from the
National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Central Visayas and Davao.
Ninety-six percent of the cases were males, of which 62 percent belonged to the 20-29 years old age group.
Of the 486 HIV positive cases, 458 were contracted through unprotected sex, with men having sex with other
men as the predominant type of sexual transmission. The rest were infected through needle-sharing among
injecting drug users.
Ninety-three percent of the cases were still asymptomatic at the time of reporting, the DOH noted.
Sixteen, all males, died of AIDS from January to February 2014.
The highest number of deaths occurred in the 25-29 age group, followed by the 20-24 and the 30-34 age
groups, the DOH said.
For the month of February 2014 alone, eight deaths were reported, it added.
As of February, there have been 5,965 people living with HIV who were reported to have been undergoing
anti-retroviral therapy, the DOH said.

Based on a study conducted by the Department of Health (DOH), more young Filipinos have
acquired the HIV. Data from the Philippine HIV/AIDS Registry showed that in January this year
alone, 118 of the new HIV patients belong to the 15 to 24 age bracket.
They are among the 448 fresh HIV cases reported for the first month of the year.
Half of the 448 victims, or 224 patients, are from Metro Manila, while 16 percent come from
the Calabarzon region, seven percent from Davao region, and four percent from Western
Visayas. The rest of the regions recorded less than one to two percent of HIV cases this year.
From 1984 to January 2014, 36 people below 15 years old were infected with HIV. For the
same period, 429 people aged 15 to 19 acquired the virus, as well as 3,467 in the 20 to 24
age bracket.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has also noticed this disturbing trend, saying new
HIV infections “now occur at a younger age.”
“In some areas, one in three persons most at risk are in the 15-17 age group,” Unicef said.
Experts attribute the spike in HIV cases to unprotected sex. The sharp increase in HIV cases
started in 2008.

Influenza A (H1N1)
Influenza A (H1N1) virus is the subtype of influenza A virus that
was the most common cause of human influenza (flu) in 2009. It
is an Orthomyxovirus that contains the glycoproteins
Haemagglutin and Neuraminidase. For this reason, they are
described as H1N1, H1N2 etc. depending on the type of H or N
antigens they express. Haemagglutin causes red blood cells to
clump together and binds the virus to the infected cell.
Neuraminidase are a type of glycoside hydrolase enzyme which
help to move the virus particles through the infected cell and
assist in budding from the host cells.

H5N1 Avian Flu (H5N1 Bird Flu)
Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a viral infection spread from bird to bird. Currently, a
particularly deadly strain of bird flu -- H5N1 -- continues to spread among poultry in
Egypt and in certain parts of Asia.
Technically, H5N1 is a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus. It's deadly to
most birds. And it's deadly to humans and to other mammals that catch the virus from
birds. Since the first human case in 1997, H5N1 has killed nearly 60% of the people
who have been infected.
But unlike human flu bugs, H5N1 bird flu does not spread easily from person to person.
The very few cases of human-to-human transmission have been among people with
exceptionally close contact, such as a mother who caught the virus while caring for her
sick infant.
H5N1 is a highly pathogenic avian (bird) flu virus that has caused serious outbreaks in domestic
poultry in parts of Asia and the Middle East. Highly pathogenic refers to the virus’s ability to
produce disease. Although H5N1 does not usually infect humans, nearly 650 cases of human
cases of H5N1 have been reported from 15 countries since 2003.

H5N1 Avian Flu (H5N1 Bird Flu)
Symptoms:
• Fever and cough
• Acute respiratory distress
• Shortness of
breath/difficulty breathing
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
Complications:
• Pneumonia
• Respiratory failure
• Shock
• Altered mental state
• Seizures
• Failure of multiple organs (e.g.
kidney failure)
• Death

MERS-CoronaVirus
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is viral respiratory
illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a
coronavirus called MERS-CoV. Most people who have been
confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection developed severe acute
respiratory illness. They had fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
About 30% of people confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection have
died.
On May 2, 2014, the first U.S. imported case of MERS was
confirmed in a traveler from Saudi Arabia to the U.S. On May 11,
2014, a second U.S. imported case of MERS was confirmed in a
traveler also from Saudi Arabia.
As of July 2014, there were 700 documented Mers-CoV cases in 20
countries, 250 of whom died. Infections were linked to Saudi Arabia
and other countries in the Middle East.

Fast facts on MERS-CoV
• Here are some key points about MERS-CoV. More detail and supporting information is in
the main article.
• MERS-CoV was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
• MERS-CoV belongs to the coronavirus family.
• All cases have been linked to countries in and neighboring the Arabian Peninsula.
• Cases of MERS-CoV reported in other countries were travel-related and first developed in
the Middle East.
• It is thought mammals play a role in the transmission of the virus - bats and camels
remaining a high contender.
• In addition to humans, strains of MERS-CoV have been identified in camels in Qatar, Egypt
and Saudi Arabia, and in a bat in Saudi Arabia.
• Doctors describe MERS-CoV as a flu-like illness with signs and symptoms of pneumonia.
• Sufferers of MERS-CoV will generally develop severe acute respiratory illness. Some
people have reported mild respiratory illness with others showing no symptoms.
• There are no specific treatments for patients who become ill with MERS-CoV infection.
• Out of the confirmed cases of MERS-CoV, 30% have been fatal.
• MERS-CoV outbreak updates
• As of 23 May 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been informed of a total of
635 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV infection, including 193 deaths.

There are currently six coronaviruses that can affect humans
including:
Alpha coronaviruses
• Human coronavirus 229E
• Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63, New Haven
coronavirus).
Beta coronaviruses
• Human coronavirus OC43
• Human coronavirus HKU1
• SARS-CoV
• Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

MERS-CoV is a species
in lineage C of the genus
beta coronavirus, which
presently includes
tylonycteris bat
coronavirus HKU4 and
pipistrellus bat
coronavirus HKU5.

All cases have been linked to countries in and neighboring the
Arabian Peninsula including:
• Bahrain
• Gaza
• Iraq
• Iran
• Israel
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Syria
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• The West Bank
• Yemen.

Cases of MERS-CoV reported in other countries were
travel-related and first developed in the Middle East.
Countries that have declared cases are:
Europe
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Italy
• United Kingdom.
Africa
Egypt
Tunisia.
Asia
Malaysia
Philippines.
Americas
US.

Signs and symptoms of MERS-CoV
The most common signs and symptoms of MERS-CoV observed are:
• Fever 100 degrees F or higher
• Cough
• Breathing difficulties
• Chills
• Chest pain
• Body aches
• Sore throat
• Malaise - a general feeling of being unwell
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Nausea/Vomiting
• Runny nose
• Renal (kidney) failure
• Pneumonia.

• Most confirmed cases of MERS-CoV have
displayed symptoms of severe acute respiratory
illness, 30% of these patients have died.

Ebola Virus
Key facts
• Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe,
often fatal illness in humans.
• EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
• EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near
tropical rainforests.
• The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human
population through human-to-human transmission.
• Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the
Ebola virus.
• Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment
or vaccine is available for use in people or animals.
• Ebola first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in
Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village situated near the
Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.

Genus Ebolavirus is 1 of 3 members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus),
along with genus Marburgvirus and genus Cuevavirus. Genus Ebolavirus
comprises 5 distinct species:
1. Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)
2. Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV)
3. Reston ebolavirus (RESTV)
4. Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV)
5. Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV).
BDBV, EBOV, and SUDV have been associated with large EVD
outbreaks in Africa, whereas RESTV and TAFV have not. The RESTV
species, found in Philippines and the People’s Republic of China, can
infect humans, but no illness or death in humans from this species has
been reported to date
Ebola Virus

Ebola Virus
Signs and symptoms
EVD is a severe acute viral illness often characterized by the
sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache
and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash,
impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both
internal and external bleeding. Laboratory findings include low
white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.
People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain
the virus. Ebola virus was isolated from semen 61 days after onset
of illness in a man who was infected in a laboratory.
The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with
the virus to onset of symptoms, is 2 to 21 days.

Natural host of Ebola virus
In Africa, fruit bats, particularly species of the
genera Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops
franqueti and Myonycteris torquata, are considered
possible natural hosts for Ebola virus. As a result, the
geographic distribution of Ebolaviruses may overlap
with the range of the fruit bats.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disease that attacks nerve
cells called neurons in your brain and spinal cord. These neurons transmit messages
from your brain and spinal cord to your voluntary muscles - the ones you can control,
like in your arms and legs. At first, this causes mild muscle problems. Some people
notice
• Trouble walking or running
• Trouble writing
• Speech problems
Eventually, you lose your strength and cannot move. When muscles in your chest fail,
you cannot breathe. A breathing machine can help, but most people with ALS die
from respiratory failure.
The disease usually strikes between age 40 and 60. More men than women get it. No
one knows what causes ALS. It can run in families, but usually it strikes at random.
There is no cure. Medicines can relieve symptoms and, sometimes, prolong survival.
Also called: ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease

The nerves that are
affected when you
have ALS are the
motor neurons that
provide voluntary
movements and
muscle power.

Chikungunya
Chikungunya is a viral disease (genus Alphavirus) which is transmitted to
humans by infected mosquitoes – including Aedes aegypti and Aedes
albopictus. The name chikungunya originates from a verb in the
Kimakonde language, meaning 'to become contorted'. This refers to the
'stooped' appearance of those suffering with joint pain. Chikungunya is a
mosquito-borne viral disease first described during an outbreak in
southern Tanzania in 1952. It is an RNA virus that belongs to the
alphavirus genus of the family Togaviridae. The name ‘chikungunya’
derives from a word in the Kimakonde language, meaning "to become
contorted" and describes the stooped appearance of sufferers with joint
pain (arthralgia).

Key facts
• Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected
mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint pain. Other symptoms
include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.
• The disease shares some clinical signs with dengue, and can be
misdiagnosed in areas where dengue is common.
• There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving the
symptoms.
• The proximity of mosquito breeding sites to human habitation is a
significant risk factor for chikungunya.
• Since 2004, chikungunya fever has reached epidemic proportions,
with considerable morbidity and suffering.
• The disease occurs in Africa, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. In
recent decades mosquito vectors of chikungunya have spread to
Europe and the Americas. In 2007, disease transmission was
reported for the first time in a localized outbreak in north-eastern Italy.

Countries having documented, endemic, or epidemic chikungunya are:
Asia: Human chikungunya virus infection has been documented in Cambodia,
East Timor, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan,
Philippines, Réunion, Seychelles, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Africa: Chikungunya occurs in Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African
Republic, Comoros, Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Kenya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan,
Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
Europe and the Americas: Aside from minor incidence rates caused by imported
cases from travelers, Italy is the only European country which has had an
outbreak. The Americas have not had any major outbreaks so far.
Recent outbreaks
Chikungunya was first identified in Tanzania in the early 1952 and has caused
periodic outbreaks in Asia and Africa since the 1960s.

Swine flu (H1N1 and H3N2v influenza virus)
Swine flu is a relatively new strain of influenza (flu) that was
responsible for a flu pandemic during 2009-2010.
It is sometimes known as H1N1 influenza because it is the H1N1
strain of virus.
On 10 August 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO)
declared that the swine flu pandemic was officially over.
However, this does not mean that swine flu can be ignored.
The swine flu virus will be one of the main viruses circulating this
winter. It has therefore been included in the 2012-13 seasonal flu
vaccine.

Swine influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused
by type A influenza viruses that regularly cause outbreaks of
influenza in pigs. Influenza viruses that commonly circulate in swine
are called “swine influenza viruses” or “swine flu viruses.” Like
human influenza viruses, there are different subtypes and strains of
swine influenza viruses. The main swine influenza viruses
circulating in U.S. pigs in recent years are:
• swine triple reassortant (tr) H1N1 influenza virus
• trH3N2 virus
• trH1N2 virus
Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However,
sporadic human infections with swine influenza viruses have
occurred. When this happens, these viruses are called “variant
viruses.” They also can be denoted by adding the letter “v” to the
end of the virus subtype designation. Human infections with H1N1v,
H3N2v and H1N2v viruses have been detected in the United States.

Swine flu (H1N1 and H3N2v influenza virus) facts
• Swine flu is a respiratory disease caused by influenza viruses
that infect the respiratory tract of pigs and result in a barking
cough,decreased appetite, nasal secretions, and listless
behavior.
• Swine flu viruses may mutate (change) so that they are easily
transmissible among humans.
• The 2009 swine flu outbreak was due to infection with the so-
called H1N1 virus and was first observed in Mexico.
• Symptoms of swine flu in humans are similar to most influenza
infections: fever (100 F or greater), cough, nasal
secretions, fatigue, and headache.
• Two antiviral agents, zanamivir (Relenza) and oseltamivir
(Tamiflu), have been reported to help prevent or reduce the
effects of swine flu if taken within 48 hours of the onset of
symptoms.

Severe Acute Respiratory
Syndrome (SARS)
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a serious form of
pneumonia. It is caused by a virus that was first identified in 2003. Infection
with the SARS virus causes acute respiratory distress (severe breathing
difficulty) and sometimes death.
SARS is a dramatic example of how quickly world travel can spread a
disease. It is also an example of how quickly a connected health system
can respond to a new health threat.
World Health Organization (WHO) physician Dr. Carlo Urbani identified
SARS as a new disease in 2003. He diagnosed it in a 48-year-old
businessman who had traveled from the Guangdong province of China,
through Hong Kong, to Hanoi, Vietnam. The businessman and the doctor
who first diagnosed SARS both died from the illness.

Symptoms
The hallmark symptoms
are:
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever greater than
100.4 degrees F (38.0
degrees C)
• Other breathing
symptoms
Less common symptoms
include:
Cough that produces
phlegm (sputum)
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Nausea and vomiting
Runny nose
Sore throat
The most common
symptoms are:
Chills and shaking
Cough -- usually starts 2-
3 days after other
symptoms
Fever
Headache
Muscle aches
In some people, the lung symptoms get worse during the
second week of illness, even after the fever has stopped.

Contagious Diseases

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