What are the 4 main causes of infection?

Causes of Infections (Germs)
  • Bacteria.
  • Viruses.
  • Protozoa (some of which act as parasites)
  • Fungal organisms (also called fungi).
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What are the four causes of infection?

Infectious diseases can be caused by:
  • Bacteria. These one-cell organisms are responsible for illnesses such as strep throat, urinary tract infections and tuberculosis.
  • Viruses. Even smaller than bacteria, viruses cause a multitude of diseases ranging from the common cold to AIDS.
  • Fungi. ...
  • Parasites.
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What are the 4 types of infections?

The four different categories of infectious agents are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. When studying these agents, researchers isolate them using certain characteristics: Size of the infectious agent.
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What are the 4 main routes of infection?

The main routes of transmission are listed below.
  • Person-to-person. Touch. ...
  • Food. Microbes need nutrients for growth and they like to consume the same foods as humans. ...
  • Water. Some diseases are caused by drinking water that is contaminated by human or animal faeces, which may contain disease-causing microbes. ...
  • Insects. ...
  • Fomites.
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What are the 5 sources of infection?

Objects may be sources of infection; food, water, air-conditioning systems, showers, medical instruments, recreational waters, door knobs, cotton handkerchiefs etc. Most man-made products that may be sources of infection are required to be produced while limiting the risk of contamination.
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Infectious Diseases - An Introduction



What causes infection?

Infection occurs when viruses, bacteria, or other microbes enter your body and begin to multiply. Disease, which typically happens in a small proportion of infected people, occurs when the cells in your body are damaged as a result of infection, and signs and symptoms of an illness appear.
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What are 7 common sources of infection?

Common sources of infection

Sources, e.g. airborne, blood borne, sexually transmitted, fecal, oral, environment, stagnant water, warm-water systems, animals.
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What are the causes and spread of infection?

Some infections are spread when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes and the small droplets they produce contain germs. The droplets travel a short distance before falling. The droplets may be breathed in by people who are near, or may fall and contaminate an object or surface.
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What are the 3 main ways an infection enters the body?

Pathogens can enter the body by coming into contact with broken skin, being breathed in or eaten, coming into contact with the eyes, nose and mouth or, for example when needles or catheters are inserted.
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What is infection and types of infection?

Infection occurs when germs enter your body and multiply, resulting in disease. The four main types of infections are viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic.
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What are 4 common bacterial infections?

Examples of bacterial infections include whooping cough, strep throat, ear infection and urinary tract infection (UTI).
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What causes bacteria infection?

The transmission (passing) of bacteria is what causes bacterial infections. You can become exposed to bacteria from other people, the environment, or by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Anyone can get sick when exposed to bacteria.
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What does infection cause in the body?

Infection with a pathogen does not necessarily lead to disease. Infection occurs when viruses, bacteria, or other microbes enter your body and begin to multiply. Disease occurs when the cells in your body are damaged as a result of infection and signs and symptoms of an illness appear.
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What are primary infections?

Definition of primary infection

: the initial infection of a host by a pathogen that has completed a resting or dormant period.
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What are the 5 most common infectious diseases?

So, without further ado, here are the five most common infectious diseases.
  • Hepatitis B. According to current statistics, hepatitis B is the most common infectious disease in the world, affecting some 2 billion people -- that's more than one-quarter of the world's population. ...
  • Malaria. ...
  • Hepatitis C. ...
  • Dengue. ...
  • Tuberculosis.
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What are 4 examples of fungal infections?

Some common types of fungal infection include:
  • athlete's foot.
  • jock itch.
  • ringworm.
  • yeast infection.
  • onychomycosis, or a fungal infection of the nail.
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What is the most common route of infection?

Contact is the most frequent mode of transmission of health care associated infections and can be divided into: direct and indirect. An example of contact transmitted microorganisms is Noroviruses which are responsible for many gastrointestinal infections.
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What are 5 diseases caused by bacteria?

Other serious bacterial diseases include cholera, diphtheria, bacterial meningitis, tetanus, Lyme disease, gonorrhea, and syphilis.
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What are the symptoms of an infection?

Know the Signs and Symptoms of Infection
  • Fever (this is sometimes the only sign of an infection).
  • Chills and sweats.
  • Change in cough or a new cough.
  • Sore throat or new mouth sore.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Nasal congestion.
  • Stiff neck.
  • Burning or pain with urination.
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What are 6 types of infections?

6 Common Infections We Wish Never Existed
  • An Awkward Silence. chlamydia; sexually transmitted disease. ...
  • Dermatophytes Feeding on My Keratin. ringworm. ...
  • A Sensation of Sand in the Eye. conjunctivitis. ...
  • O(h)-titis, a Blight in the Ear. otitis media. ...
  • Bleeding Gums. Gingivitis. ...
  • Viral Gastroenteritis to Spite Us. gastroenteritis.
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What causes infection in a woman?

In basic terms, vaginal infections tend to develop when something affects the usual balance of bacteria and yeast in your vagina. Here are the common causes of vaginal infections by infection type: Bacterial infections. An overgrowth of certain bacteria naturally found in your vagina can cause BV.
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What are the two types of infections?

As you might think, bacterial infections are caused by bacteria, and viral infections are caused by viruses. Perhaps the most important distinction between bacteria and viruses is that antibiotic drugs usually kill bacteria, but they aren't effective against viruses.
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How do you get rid of an infection in your body?

But oftentimes, your body can't fight the infection naturally, and you need to take antibiotics - medication that kills the bacteria. Antibiotics come in many forms, including pills, injections, creams, drops, and intravenously.
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How can I help my body fight infection?

Fighting an illness? 4 ways to boost your immune system
  1. Keep a plant-based, heart-healthy menu. Choose foods first as your source of vitamins and nutrients. ...
  2. Power up with phytochemicals. ...
  3. Decrease your risk of malnutrition. ...
  4. Make changes to your lifestyle.
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What are the stages of infection?

The five periods of disease (sometimes referred to as stages or phases) include the incubation, prodromal, illness, decline, and convalescence periods (Figure 2). The incubation period occurs in an acute disease after the initial entry of the pathogen into the host (patient).
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