Infections
Infections are the invasion and multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms in the body, which may cause local cellular injury or a systemic response. They can be caused by a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.
Types of Infections[edit | edit source]
Infections are typically categorized based on the causative agent:
- Bacterial infections: Caused by bacteria, examples include tuberculosis, strep throat, and urinary tract infections.
- Viral infections: Caused by viruses, such as influenza, HIV/AIDS, and the common cold.
- Fungal infections: Arise from fungi, including candidiasis, ringworm, and athlete's foot.
- Parasitic infections: Result from parasites like malaria (from plasmodium species) or tapeworm infestations.
- Prion infections: Caused by prions, misfolded proteins that can lead to conditions like Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Routes of Transmission[edit | edit source]
- Direct contact: Through skin-to-skin contact, bodily fluids, or respiratory droplets.
- Indirect contact: Through fomites, objects or materials likely to carry infection.
- Vector-borne: Via organisms such as mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas.
- Airborne: Through aerosol particles in the air.
- Foodborne or waterborne: Ingesting contaminated food or water.
Symptoms[edit | edit source]
While specific symptoms vary depending on the infection, common signs include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, and lymph node enlargement. Severe infections might lead to organ failure or systemic complications.
Diagnosis[edit | edit source]
- Culture tests: Growing the microorganisms from a sample.
- Blood tests: Checking for antibodies or presence of the causative agent.
- Imaging: Using X-rays, MRI, or other techniques to spot infection areas.
- Biopsy: Examining a small tissue sample.
Treatment[edit | edit source]
Treatment depends on the type of infection:
- Bacterial: Typically treated with antibiotics.
- Viral: May require antiviral medications, though many viral infections are self-limiting.
- Fungal: Antifungal medications.
- Parasitic: Antiparasitic drugs.
Prevention[edit | edit source]
- Vaccination
- Hand hygiene
- Safe food and water practices
- Proper personal protection against vectors
Complications[edit | edit source]
Untreated or severe infections can lead to:
- Sepsis: A life-threatening reaction to severe infections.
- Organ damage or failure.
- Chronic conditions: Some infections can cause long-term health issues, like hepatitis leading to liver cirrhosis.
Lists of infections[edit | edit source]
A[edit | edit source]
- Abscesses
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome see AIDS
- Adult Immunization see Immunization
- AIDS
- Animal Diseases and Your Health
- Animal Health see Animal Diseases and Your Health
- Anthrax
- Antibiotics
- Antimicrobial Resistance see Antibiotics; Infectious Diseases
- Arachnoiditis see Meningitis
- Avian Influenza see Bird Flu
- Bacterial Infections
B[edit | edit source]
- Bird Flu
- Blood Poisoning see Sepsis
- Blood-Borne Pathogens see Infection Control
- Body Lice see Parasitic Diseases
- Botulinum Toxin see Botulism
- Botulism
- Bronchiolitis see Bronchitis; Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Bronchitis
- Bubonic Plague see Plague
C[edit | edit source]
- Candidiasis see Yeast Infections
- Cat Scratch Disease
- Cellulitis
- CFS see Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Clap see Gonorrhea
- CMV Infections see Cytomegalovirus Infections
- Cold, Common see Common Cold
- Common Cold
- Condylomata Acuminata see Genital Warts
- Coxsackievirus Infections see Viral Infections
- Crab Lice see Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Cytomegalovirus Infections
- Chagas Disease
- Chickenpox
- Chlamydia Infections
- Chronic Bronchitis see Bronchitis
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
D-E[edit | edit source]
- Dengue
- Diphtheria
- E. Coli Infections
- Ebola Virus see Hemorrhagic Fevers
- EBV Infections see Infectious Mononucleosis
- Ehrlichiosis see Tick Bites
- Epstein-Barr Virus Infections see Infectious Mononucleosis
- Fever
- Fifth Disease
- Flu
- Fungal Infections
- Gastroenteritis
G-H[edit | edit source]
- Genital Herpes see Herpes Simplex
- Genital Warts
- German Measles see Rubella
- Germs and Hygiene
- Giardia Infections
- Glandular Fever see Infectious Mononucleosis
- Gonorrhea
- Grippe see Flu
- Handwashing see Germs and Hygiene
- Hantavirus Infections
- Head Lice
- Hemorrhagic Fevers
- Hepatitis
- Herpes Simplex
- Herpes Zoster see Shingles
I-J[edit | edit source]
- Histoplasmosis see Fungal Infections
- HIV see AIDS
- HPV
- Immunization
- Impetigo
- Infantile Paralysis see Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Infection Control
- Infections and Pregnancy
- Infections, Bacterial see Bacterial Infections
- Infections, Fungal see Fungal Infections
- Infections, Viral see Viral Infections
- Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Influenza see Flu
- Itching
- Jet Lag see Traveler's Health
- Jock Itch see Tinea Infections
L-M[edit | edit source]
- Legionnaires' Disease
- Leishmaniasis
- Lice see Head Lice; Parasitic Diseases
- Listeria Infections
- Lyme Disease
- Malaria
- Measles
- Meningitis
- Monkeypox see Monkeypox Virus Infections
- Monkeypox Virus Infections
- Mononucleosis see Infectious Mononucleosis
N-P[edit | edit source]
- MRSA see Staphylococcal Infections
- Mumps
- Norwalk Virus Infections see Gastroenteritis
- Opportunistic Infections in AIDS see AIDS and Infections
- Paralysis, Infantile see Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Parasitic Diseases
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pertussis see Whooping Cough
- PID see Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pinworms
- Plague
- Plantar Warts see Warts
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Pneumonia
- Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
R-S[edit | edit source]
- Post-herpetic Neuralgia see Shingles
- Pregnancy, Infections in see Infections and Pregnancy
- Q Fever see Bacterial Infections
- Rabies
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Ringworm see Tinea Infections
- Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever see Tick Bites
- Roseola see Viral Infections
- Rotavirus Infections
- RSV Infections see Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Rubella
- Rubeola see Measles
- Salmonella Infections
- SARS see Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
- Scabies
- Scarlet Fever see Streptococcal Infections
- Sepsis
- Septic Shock see Sepsis
- Septicemia see Sepsis
- Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Shingles
- Sinusitis
- Smallpox
S-T[edit | edit source]
- South American Trypanosomiasis see Chagas Disease
- Staphylococcal Infections
- STD see Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Stomach Flu see Gastroenteritis
- Strep Throat see Streptococcal Infections
- Streptococcal Infections
- Syphilis
- Ticks see Tick Bites
- Toxoplasmosis see Parasitic Diseases
- Traveler's Health
- Tuberculosis
- Tularemia
- Tinea Infections
- Typhoid Fever
- Typhus
V-Z[edit | edit source]
- Vaccine Preventable Diseases see Immunization
- Viral Infections
- VRE see Bacterial Infections
- West Nile Virus see West Nile Virus
- West Nile Virus
- Whooping Cough
- Worms
- Yellow Fever
- Yeast Infections
- Zika Virus
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