Angela L. Williams - Contagious Diseases Sourcebook: Health Reference Series

Contagious Diseases

SOURCEBOOK

FOURTH EDITION

Health Reference Series

Contagious Diseases

SOURCEBOOK

FOURTH EDITION

Basic Consumer Health Information about Diseases Spread from Person to Person through Direct Physical Contact, Airborne Transmissions, Sexual Contact, or Contact with Blood or Other Body Fluids, Including Pneumococcal, Staphylococcal, and Streptococcal Diseases, Colds, Influenza, Lice, Measles, Mumps, Tuberculosis, and Others

Along with Information about Self-Care and Over-the-Counter Medications, Antibiotics and Drug Resistance, Disease Prevention, Vaccines, and Bioterrorism, a Glossary, and a Directory of Resources for More Information

Bibliographic Note

Because this page cannot legibly accommodate all the copyright notices, the Bibliographic Note portion of the Preface constitutes an extension of the copyright notice.

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OMNIGRAPHICS

Angela L. Williams, Managing Editor

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Copyright 2019 Omnigraphics

ISBN 978-0-7808-1719-7

E-ISBN 978-0-7808-1720-3

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019942314

Electronic or mechanical reproduction, including photography, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system for the purpose of resale is strictly prohibited without permission in writing from the publisher.

The information in this publication was compiled from the sources cited and from other sources considered reliable. While every possible effort has been made to ensure reliability, the publisher will not assume liability for damages caused by inaccuracies in the data, and makes no warranty, express or implied, on the accuracy of the information contained herein.

This book is printed on acid-free paper meeting the ANSI Z39.48 Standard. The infinity symbol that appears above indicates that the paper in this book meets that standard.

Printed in the United States

Table of Contents

Preface

About This Book

Contagious diseases occur when microbesbacteria, viruses, and fungiare passed from person to person. Vaccination programs and other prevention measures have been successful in reducing the number of new cases of many contagious diseases. However, in many industrialized countries where communicable disease mortality has greatly decreased over the past century, the return of old communicable diseases, the emergence of new ones, and the evolution of antimicrobial resistance continue to present a challenge, and infectious diseases remain a major public-health concern in the United States and around the world.

Contagious Diseases Sourcebook, Fourth Edition provides updated information about microbes that are spread from person to person and the diseases they cause, including influenza, lice infestation, pneumonias, staphylococcal and streptococcal infections, tuberculosis, and others. The types of diagnostic tests and treatments available from medical professionals are explained, and self-care practices for familiar symptomssuch as fever and sore throat that often accompany the common coldare described. Other topics addressed include antibiotic resistance, the role of handwashing in preventing the spread of disease, and recommendations and controversies surrounding vaccination programs. The book concludes with a glossary of related terms and a directory of additional resources.

How to Use This Book

This book is divided into parts and chapters. Parts focus on broad areas of interest. Chapters are devoted to single topics within a part.

Part I: What You Need to Know about Germs describes various types of microbes and different kinds of infections. It explains how the immune system responds to germs and how diseases can be transmitted from one person to another. Public health issues are also discussed, including the practice of screening internationally adopted children for contagious diseases and the threat of bioterrorism.

Part II: Viral Contagious Diseases provides information about the causes, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of various diseases caused by viruses such as chickenpox, gonorrhea, influenza, measles, polio, rubella, and other diseases.

Part III: Bacterial Contagious Diseases discusses in detail about the diseases and infections caused by bacteria such as chancroid, diphtheria, impetigo, pneumonia, streptococcal infections, tuberculosis, and so on.

Part IV: Parasitic and Fungal Contagious Diseases provides information about the contagious diseases caused by parasites and fungi including amebiasis, cryptosporidiosis, lice, meningitis, pinworms, scabies, tinea infections, and trichomoniasis.

Part V: Self-Treatment for Contagious Diseases discusses frequently used remedies for common illnesses and disease symptoms. Facts about the proper use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications are included along with a chapter focusing on the dangers associated with drug interactions. The part concludes with information about the use of probiotics, herbal and dietary supplements, and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine.

Part VI: Medical Diagnosis and Treatment of Contagious Diseases explains the tests and procedures used to identify the presence of microbial infection, colds, influenza, and other diseases. Antibiotic and antiviral medications are discussed, and the growing problem of antimicrobial resistancethe way microbes change to counteract the effectiveness of drug treatmentsis explained.

Part VII: Preventing Contagious Diseases begins with information about a simple practice that is a key element in the fight against the spread of germshandwashing. It continues with facts about vaccines, another effective tool for halting the proliferation of disease. Information about vaccine recommendations for children, adolescents, and adults is included, and this part also addresses problems associated with vaccines, the vaccine adverse event reporting system, and the difficulties that can arise as a result of vaccine misinformation.

Part VIII: Additional Help and Information provides a glossary of terms related to contagious diseases and a directory of resources for additional information.

Bibliographic Note

This volume contains documents and excerpts from publications issued by the following U.S. government agencies: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH); National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI); National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); National Institute on Aging (NIA); National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); National Institutes of Health (NIH); NIH News in Health; Office of Adolescent Health (OAH); Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR); Office on Womens Health (OWH); U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

It may also contain original material produced by Omnigraphics and reviewed by medical consultants.

About the Health Reference Series

The Health Reference Series is designed to provide basic medical information for patients, families, caregivers, and the general public. Each volume takes a particular topic and provides comprehensive coverage. This is especially important for people who may be dealing with a newly diagnosed disease or a chronic disorder in themselves or in a family member. People looking for preventive guidance, information about disease warning signs, medical statistics, and risk factors for health problems will also find answers to their questions in the