Why Do We Fall Ill

CHAPTER 4
Why Do We Fall ill? THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES
z Introduction
z Health and its Failure
¾ Meaning
Introduction
¾ Significance
As we studied earlier that cells are the basic structural and functional
¾ Personal and Community Issues both
units of all living organisms. These cells are made up of a variety
Matter for Health
of organic substances such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats or
¾ Distinctions between ‘Healthy’ and
lipids, etc. We have also seen that each living cell is in a dynamic
‘Disease free’
state and numerous activities are going on inside it. The cells are
not static, some of them move from place to place. Even if they do
z Diseases and their Causes
not move, there is repair going on. Cells wear out and new cells are ¾ Meaning
formed to replace them. In our body organs too, various specialised ¾ Types
activities are going on, e.g., the heart is beating, the lungs are ¾ Causes of Diseases
breathing, the kidneys are filtering blood and producing urine, the z Infectious Diseases
brain is thinking and coordinating all the body activities, etc. All
¾ Infectious Agents
these activities of various body organs are interconnected. For
¾ Means of Spread
example, during heavy exercise, heart starts beating faster so as to
¾ Organ-specific and Tissue-specific
supply more oxygen to body cells and the rate of breathing is also
Manifestations
increased so as to increase the uptake of oxygen to compensate for
¾ Principles of Treatment
the excess oxygen consumed by the body cells.
¾ Principles of Prevention
For their proper functioning, cells require energy and raw materials.
¾ Examples of Infectious Diseases
These are obtained from the food we eat. A proper food is,
I. Bacterial Diseases
therefore, a basic necessity for proper functioning of cells, tissues
II. Viral Diseases
and organs. Anything that disturbs the proper functioning of cells,
III. Protozoan Diseases
tissues and organs results in the lack of proper activity of the body.
z Quick Recap
In this chapter, we will discuss health and its failure, various
z Assignment
diseases and their causes and some infectious diseases and their
prevention.
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2 Why Do We Fall ill? Biology - Class IX (Level-I)
HEALTH AND ITS FAILURE
Meaning
Health implies the idea of ‘being well’. We can think of this well-being as effective functioning. However, it
has a different meaning in different contexts. For a grandmother, ability to go out to the market or to visit
neighbours is good health; and not being able to do such things is ‘poor health’. A youngster is healthy if
he can run, jump and play joyfully. A student who studies well, remains attentive in class and follows
instructions of the teacher properly has a healthy attitude.
WHO (World Health Organisation) has defined health as, “A state of complete physical, mental and social
well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”.
Significance
The significance of good health can be outlined as follows :
Good health promotes the efficiency for doing work.
An efficient healthy person contributes to his own progress, the progress of community and the progress
of nation as a whole.
It encourages happy and cheerful attitude.
It allows a person to take initiative for betterment.
It makes living a joyful experience.
It gives the ability to cope up with social and mental pressure without any great difficulty.
Thus, good health is a condition for our purposeful existence in this world.
Personal and Community Issues both Matter for Health
Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being. It cannot be achieved by an individual alone
as the health of all organisms depends on their surroundings or their environment. Environment includes both
physical and social environment.
Physical environment includes factors like heat, temperature, humidity, natural calamities like storms,
cyclones, floods, droughts, etc. For example, health is at a risk in a cyclone in many ways.
Social environment is also an important factor affecting individual’s health because human beings live
in societies. In villages, towns and cities where we live, even our physical environment is largely determined
by our social environment. Moreover, social environment controls not only social health but also the
physical health of the individual through public health services for instance.
Various factors included in social environment are :
(i) Public health services/public cleanliness : These services ensure removal of garbage, drainage
and sewage, proper drinking water, unadulterated food articles, vector and pest control, vaccination
and other health care services. If these services are insufficient or faulty, the health of individual
citizens is bound to be adversely affected despite taking the best balanced food and keeping the best
personal hygiene. Suppose there is garbage littered around in a street or waste water overflows the
drains, then pests and vectors might breed in that area, resulting in spread of diseases. This
increases the possibility of poor health. Therefore, public cleanliness is essential for individual’s health.
Biology - Class IX (Level-I) Why Do We Fall ill? 3
(ii) Social equality and harmony : Social equality and harmony are necessary for individual health.
There should be no mistrust, apprehension and ill treatment among each other. We should participate
in everyone’s joys and sorrows – helping others and receiving help at the time of need. This would
make everybody in the community happy and healthy.
Fluids
Distinctions between ‘Healthy’ and ‘Disease free’

To be healthy and to be disease-free do not mean the same. Health is not just the absence of disease, it
is the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.
Disease (dis – without; ease – comfort) or disturbed ease, is a condition of disturbed functioning of
the body or its part(s). Disease, literally means being uncomfortable. However, the word is used in a more
limited meaning. We call it a disease when there is a specific and particular cause for discomfort. However at
times, we cannot determine the exact cause. For example, diarrhoea is apparent by occurrence of loose motions
without knowing the exact cause like viral, bacterial or protozoan infection. So, a person is disease-free if there
is no discomfort in the functioning of the body. However, a person, without suffering from any particular disease,
can be in good health or poor health. Simply not being diseased is not the same as being healthy.
A person would have poor health if one is not energetic and not able to perform the required task but does
not actually suffer from a disease. We can be in poor health without there being a simple cause in the form
of an identifiable disease. ‘Good health’ for a dancer may mean being able to stretch his body into difficult
but graceful positions. On the other hand, good health for an aerophonist may mean having enough breathing
capacity in his/her lungs to control the notes of his/her instrument. To have the opportunity to realise the unique
potential in all is also necessary for real health. Actually, health of a person is controlled by physical fitness,
personal attitude, interactions with other members of the family, society and community. Therefore, health is
related to society and community while disease is related to individual sufferers.
Differences between healthy and disease-free state
Healthy Disease-free
1. It is a state of complete physical, mental 1. It is a state of absence of discomfort in

and social well-being so as to enable any part of the body.
one to lead a socially and economically
productive life.
2. It depends upon the individual as well as 2. It is related to individual only.
physical and social environment.
3. A healthy person will be disease-free as 3. A disease-free person can be healthy or
well. unhealthy.
DISEASES AND THEIR CAUSES

Human body has several tissues, organs and organ systems, each of which has a definite function in the
body. Functioning of any tissue, organ or organ system may affect the functioning of others and eventually
the entire body. When there is a disease, either the functioning or the appearance of one or more systems
of the body will change for the worse.
Meaning
The malfunctioning of any tissue, organ or organ system will cause discomfort, i.e., will cause disease. As
this malfunctioning is internal, the reason or the cause cannot be immediately known. Hence, a disease is
diagnosed with the help of symptoms and signs.
The two aspects associated with disease diagnosis are - symptoms and signs. Symptoms of a disease
are the things that we feel as being ‘wrong’ with our body; like headache, cough, loose motions, etc. These
indicate that there may be a disease, but they do not indicate the exact cause and nature of the disease.
For example, a headache may mean just examination stress or, it may mean meningitis or a dozen different
diseases.
On the other hand, signs of a disease are objective evidences of a disease that physicians look for on the basis
of the symptoms. Signs will give a more definite indication of the presence of a particular disease.
At times, the physician may get some lab tests done to further pinpoint the disease.
Types
Diseases can be variously classified depending upon the infectious agents, portal of entry, organ affected,
duration of disease etc. Some of such types of classification of diseases are as follows :
I. Classification based on the infectious agents : The diseases can be classified on the basis of the
causative agent, i.e., the organism that causes a particular disease.
(a) Bacterial diseases : The diseases which are caused by bacteria are called bacterial diseases. For
example, tuberculosis, diphtheria, typhoid, cholera, anthrax, etc.
(b) Protozoan diseases : The diseases which are caused by protozoans are called protozoan diseases.
For example, malaria, sleeping sickness, kala azar, etc.
(c) Viral diseases : The diseases which are caused by viruses are called viral diseases. For example,
AIDS, rabies, common cold, influenza, dengue, etc.
(d) Fungal diseases : The diseases which are caused by fungi are called fungal diseases. For examples
athlete’s foot, ringworm disease, etc.
(e) Helminthic diseases : The diseases that are caused by helminths (worms) are called helminthic
diseases. For example, taeniasis, ascariasis, etc.
II. Classification based on the duration of disease : Depending upon the duration of the disease, diseases
could be classified into two main categories - Acute and Chronic diseases.
(a) Acute diseases : Acute diseases last for a short duration of time. Common cold, malaria, diarrhoea
are few examples of such diseases. These affect the body suddenly and progress quickly but the
duration of these effects is less. Further, after treatment, the recovery is often complete.
(b) Chronic diseases : Chronic diseases can last for a longer duration of time varying from months or
years to as much as a life time. Elephantiasis, asthma, diabetes are few examples of such diseases.
These diseases affect the body in such a way that the patient is often unable to lead a normal and
productive life, as his/her general health does not permit him to. Some of the effects of such diseases
are -
(i) Feeling of tiredness.
(ii) Shortness of breath.
(iii) Anorexia - loss of appetite.
(iv) Loss of weight.
(v) Reduction/loss of work efficiency.
Differences between acute and chronic diseases
Acute disease Chronic disease

1. It lasts for a short time. 1. It is a longer duration disease.
2. It does not cause major effects on 2. Being of long duration, a person is
general health. likely to have prolonged poor health.
3. The patient gets recovered within a few 3. The recovery is seldom complete even
days after the treatment. after treatment.
4. They do not cause drastic ill effects on 4. They cause drastic or prolonged ill
people's health. effects on people’s health.
5. Examples of acute diseases are 5. Examples include tuberculosis,
diarrhoea, cough, cold, etc. diabetes, asthma, etc.
Causes of Diseases
Causes of diseases are the agents and factors which produce the diseases. Just as the symptoms of diseases
are varied, so are the causes of diseases. All the diseases have many causes, rather than a single cause.
There are many levels of such causes. The causes could be categorized as follows :
I. Immediate causes of the disease : The agent or factor that actually causes the disease is called
immediate or primary cause of the disease. An immediate cause of disease is the first level of cause
of the disease. For example, if a baby is suffering from loose motions, we can say that it has been caused
due to an infection with a virus, protozoan or bacterium or if a person is suffering from high blood pressure,
excessive weight and lack of exercise can be cited as the immediate causes. Immediate causes of the
diseases belong to two groups :
(a) Infectious agents, mostly including disease-causing microorganisms.
(b) Non-infectious causes that are mostly internal factors such as defects in genes, metabolism, etc.
II. Contributing causes of the disease : These causes either make a person prone to catch a disease
or create conditions that promote susceptibility to a disease.
For instance, we know that all the people are not equally susceptible to a disease. Some get affected
by the disease while others do not, though they may receive same amount of contamination. The
susceptibility may be due to poor health related to under-nourishment or to genetic differences. These
factors constitute the second level of cause of the disease as they alone would not lead to a disease
in absence of the pathogen.
Factors such as poor public health services or poverty constitute the third level of cause of the disease.
For instance, it is possible that the pathogen responsible for causing loose motions comes through impure
drinking water and poor people generally live in dirty, unhygienic surroundings, lacking even the basic
amenities of life. This implies that a disease has immediate cause and contributory causes. A disease
may has a single cause or more than a single cause. Due to this the ways in which diseases spread
and the way in which they can be treated and prevented at the community level would be different for
different diseases.
Try Yourself
1. Health deals with
(1) Physical fitness (2) Mental fitness
(3) Social well-being (4) All of these
2. Washing hands is related to
(1) Personal hygiene (2) Public hygiene
(3) Economic status (4) Social status
3. Which of the following is an acute disease?
(1) Tuberculosis (2) Hypertension
(3) Typhoid (4) Diabetes
4. A chronic disease is the one that
(1) Occurs from the time of birth
(2) Lasts for a long duration
(3) Lasts for a short duration
(4) Do not cause drastic ill effects on people’s health
[Ans. 1(4), 2(1), 3(3), 4(2)]
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Infectious diseases are also known as communicable diseases because they can spread from a diseased
person to a healthy person. This transmission could be either direct (person-to-person contact like flu) or could
be indirect (via an agent like for malaria, whose vector is female Anopheles mosquito).
500 nm
Fig. 1 : Picture of SARS viruses coming out (see Fig. 2 : Picture of Staphylococci, the bacteria
arrows for examples) of the surface of an infected which can cause acne.
cell.
Fig. 3 : Picture of Trypanosoma, the protozoan organism responsible for sleeping sickness. The organism
is lying next to a saucer-shaped red blood cell to give an idea of the scale.
Fig. 4 : Picture of Leishmania, the protozoan Fig. 5 : Picture of an adult roundworm

organism that causes kala-azar. The organisms (Ascaris lumbricoides is the technical
are oval-shaped, and each has one long whip-like name) from the small intestine. The
structure. One organism (arrow) is dividing, while ruler next to it shows four centimetres
a cell of the immune system (lower right) has to give us an idea of the scale.
gripped on the two whips of the dividing organism
and is sending cell processes up to eat up the
organism. The immune cell is about ten
micrometres in diameter.
Infectious Agents
The organisms which are responsible for causing particular type of diseases are called infectious agents. They
could be bacteria, fungi or viruses. Some diseases are caused by protozoans (single-celled animals) or
different kinds of worms (multicellular organisms).
The various infectious agents are described below :
I. Bacteria : Bacteria are unicellular, prokaryotic organisms that are microscopic. They reproduce very
quickly. Bacteria are one of the most common agents of infectious diseases. Some of the bacterial
diseases are cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis, anthrax, tetanus, etc.
II. Viruses : Viruses are submicroscopic crystallisable particles that cannot reproduce by themselves as
they do not have a cellular structure and lack a metabolic machinery. This is the reason, viruses use
the metabolic machinery of the host cell and multiply. Some of the viral diseases are common cold,
influenza, dengue, AIDS, measles, polio, small pox, chicken pox, etc.
III. Protozoans : Protozoans are microscopic, unicellular and eukaryotic organisms. There are various
protozoans that cause diseases. Some of the main protozoan diseases are malaria, kala-azar, sleeping
sickness, giardiasis, etc.
IV. Fungi : Fungi include multicellular, eukaryotic and heterotrophic organisms. Some of the fungal diseases
are ringworm, athlete’s foot and other skin infections.
V. Helminths : Helminths are multicellular organisms that are usually present in the gastrointestinal tract.
Some of the diseases caused by helminths are elephantiasis, ascariasis, taeniasis, etc.
Means of Spread
How do infectious diseases spread?

Infectious diseases are also known as communicable diseases because they can be communicated,
i.e., the causal agent or disease-causing micro-organism can be passed from an affected person to a healthy
person. The means of spread could be one of the following :
I. Through air : Air-borne diseases : The disease causing microbes can spread through the air. This
occurs through the little droplets thrown out by an infected person who sneezes or coughs. Someone
standing close by can breathe in these droplets and the microbes get a chance to start a new infection.
Examples of such diseases which spread through air include common cold, pneumonia and
tuberculosis. In crowded living conditions, the air-borne diseases are likely to spread rapidly.
The persons sitting close to patient are most likely to catch the disease. However, in poorly ventilated
overcrowded areas, the droplet nuclei recirculate and may infect others as well. Overcrowding and poorly
ventilated housing is therefore a major factor in the spread of airborne diseases.
II. Through water and food : Food and water borne diseases : The disease causing organism could
also spread by contaminated food and water. Such diseases are much more likely to spread in the
absence of proper hygienic drinking water and food. Examples of such diseases include cholera,
amoebic dysentery and typhoid. For example, if excreta of someone suffering from an infectious gut
disease like cholera, gets mixed with drinking water used by people living nearby, the cholera-causing
microbes will enter new hosts through the water they drink and cause the disease in them.
III. Through sexual contact : Sexually transmitted diseases : Some diseases can be transmitted from
an infected partner to the healthy one during the sexual contact. Such diseases are called sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs). Examples are AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhoea, etc. However, such diseases do
not spread by casual physical contact like handshakes or hugs or sports like wrestling or by any other
way in which we touch each other socially.
Other than sexual contact, AIDS virus also spreads through blood-to-blood contact with infected people
or from an infected mother to her baby during delivery or through breast feeding.
IV. Diseases transmitted by animal vectors : Some animals transmit the disease-causing microbe from
a sick person to another potential host, e.g., insects like mosquito (Anopheles, Culex, Aedes) or housefly
(Musca) or sandfly (Phlebotomus) or tsetse fly (Glossina). Since these animals are the intermediaries,
they are called vectors. The commonest vectors are the mosquitoes. In many species of mosquitoes, the
females need highly nutritious food in the form of blood in order to be able to lay mature eggs, so
mosquitoes feed on many warm-blooded animals including human beings. In this way, they can transfer
diseases from person to person.
The animal vectors could also be vertebrates like cats, dogs, wolves, etc. that transmit rabies. The rabies
virus enter the human body by the bite of a rabid animal like dog, monkey, cat, rabbit, wolf, etc.
Pathogen Vector Disease
1. Plasmodium Anopheles mosquito Malaria

2. Wuchereria bancrofti Culex mosquito Filariasis
3. Dengue virus Aedes mosquito Dengue
4. Leishmania Phlebotomus (Sand fly) Kala-azar
5. Trypanosoma Glossina (Tsetse fly) Sleeping sickness
6. Rabies virus Rabid animals Rabies
V. Contact with soil : The infectious agents of tetanus (Clostridium tetani) can enter the human body from
soil through injuries.
Direct
contact
By air
Healthy
Infected person
person
Indirect
contact
By food
Mosquito
insect
Rabid animal
Fig. 6 : Common methods of transmission of diseases
VI. Fomite borne diseases : Articles (non-living objects) that come in contact with patients may become
a source of infection, e.g., door handles, utensils, garments, etc.
Organ-specific and Tissue-specific Manifestations
The pathogens or disease-causing agents could enter the body via different means. However, after entering
the body, the pathogen may enter to any specific organ and/or tissue depending on the way a pathogen follows
in the body. Moreover, every pathogen has developed adaptation to infect a particular organ, tissue or system.
I. A pathogen that enters the body via nose, is likely to go to the lungs and cause respiratory disorders.
Examples include bacterium that causes tuberculosis.
II. A pathogen that enters the body via the mouth, can stay in the gut lining (as in case of typhoid causing
bacteria) or could eventually migrate to liver (as in case of jaundice causing hepatitis viruses).
III. A pathogen that enters the body via sexual organs and genital tract (AIDS causing Human
Immunodeficiency Virus) will spread to lymph nodes all over the body.
IV. A pathogen that enters the blood via mosquito bite can infect a variety of organs - first liver and then RBCs
(as in case of malaria causing protozoan) or brain (as in case of Japanese encephalitis or brain fever
causing virus.)
The signs and symptoms of a disease will depend on the tissue or organ which the microbe targets. For
example, in case lungs are the target organs, cough and breathlessness would be the major symptoms; in
case liver is targeted, there will be jaundice. If the brain is the target, we will observe headaches, vomiting,
fits or unconsciousness. In other words, we can predict the symptoms and signs of an infection if we know
what the target organ and/or tissue is, and the functions that are carried out by this organ or tissue.
In addition to these tissue - specific effects, there are some common effects as well. Most of these common
effects can be attributed to the immune system of the body. The immune system is activated in the response
to an infection. An active immune system sends many cells (like WBCs) to the affected tissue in order to
kill the disease causing microbes. The microbes are killed by WBCs and macrophages by the process of
phagocytosis. However, some microbes escape from the WBCs and macrophages and enter the body cells
and release harmful substances (toxins) to kill the cells. In response, the mast cells and WBCs release
histamine which causes the infected area to become painful, red and swollen. This process of recruitment
of cells to activate the immune system is called inflammation. This causes certain common and localized
effects such as pain, swelling, fever, etc.
For example, in HIV infection, the virus goes to the immune system and damages its function. Thus, many
of the effects of HIV-AIDS are because the body can no longer fight off the many minor infections that we
face everyday. Instead, even simple infections like cold or a minor gut ailment could snow-ball into pneumonia
or major dysentery. Ultimately, these infections kill the people suffering from AIDS.
Another important aspect is to understand that the severity of any disease manifestations also depend upon
the number of disease-causing microbes that enter the body. In case, the number of microbes is less, the
disease manifestations may be minor or unnoticed. If the number of disease-causing microbes is more the
disease can be severe enough to be life threatening. The immune system is a major factor that determines
the number of microbes surviving in the body.
E tra Sho s
Peptic Ulcer and Helicobacter pylori
Peptic ulcers are painful bleeding areas in stomach and duodenum. For many years, everybody used to
think that peptic ulcers which cause acidity related pain and bleeding were because of life style. Initially
it was thought that increased stress in life may lead to the production of HCl (or acidity), eventually
resulting in peptic ulcers. However, it was in 1984 that Robin Warren and Barry Marshall discovered that
a bacterium, Helicobacter pylori was responsible for peptic ulcers. Robin Warren observed the presence
of these small curved bacteria in stomach of many patients. He also noticed signs of inflammation around
these bacteria. Later, Barry Marshall succeeded in culturing the bacteria from these sources. Further in
1985, they found that amoxicillin, an antibiotic is effective in killing the bacteria and curing the peptic
ulcers. Hence, once painful and chronic disease was converted into a short-time and treatable disease.
For this achievement, Marshall and Warren received the Nobel prize for physiology and medicine in 2005.
Principles of Treatment
There are two ways to treat an infectious disease :

I. Reduce the effect of the disease : In order to treat an infectious disease, one way is to reduce the
effect of the disease without killing the infectious agent. It is brought about by two methods.
(a) Symptomatic treatment : Medication is provided so as to treat the symptoms of the disease such
as fever, pain, sneezing, coughing and loose motions. The medications provided for the same are -
(i) Antipyretic - To bring down the fever.
(ii) Analgesic - To control pain.
(iii) Antidiarrhoeal - To control loose motions.
(iv) Antiallergic - To check allergic reactions such as sneezing and coughing.
(v) Antiemetic - To relieve or prevent nausea and vomiting.
(b) Bed rest : Adequate and complete rest helps to conserve energy. This assists in better and quick
recovery.
However, by treating the disease on the basis of the symptoms, disease-causing microbes will not
be killed. Hence, this approach will not cure the disease. In order to cure the disease, killing of
pathogen or disease-causing organism becomes essential.
II. Killing the microorganisms of infectious agents : Killing the microorganism that causes the disease
will ensure that the disease is cured. However, since disease-causing organisms are very diverse, a single
method may or may not work to kill the pathogen.
The infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminths and protozoans have some essential
biochemical life processes which are peculiar to their group and not shared with the other groups. These
processes may be pathways involved in respiration or synthesis of new substances. These pathways are
not used by us either. So, we synthesize antibiotics that block the bacterial synthesis pathway without
affecting our own. For example, penicillin - an antibiotic blocks the bacterial pathways that build the cell
wall. As a result, the growing bacteria are unable to make cell-walls, and hence die easily.
However, viruses lack cellular structure and do not have their own metabolic machinery. They enter to
the cells of host and use their machinery for their own life processes. They have only a few biochemical
mechanisms of their own. So, we can only target these few biochemical mechanisms to block viral growth.
So, making anti-viral medicines is harder than making anti-bacterial medicines. Despite this, we have been
able to develop some effective antiviral drugs, e.g., anti-retroviral drugs against HIV infection.
Protozoan infections are treated by a different set of drugs. Antifungal drugs are useful against all types
of fungi. Vermicides are used for overcoming worm infection.
Hence, in order to treat a disease both these approaches need to be understood and duly applied. In
some cases, like common cold, only using the first approach could be sufficient (unless secondary
complications arise) but in treating amoebic dysentery, both these approaches would be utilized in order
to treat the disease.
Principles of Prevention
Depending upon the type of disease, the extent of infection, the degree to which body and its functions are
affected, the preventing measures vary. However, in any case, when we talk about treating a disease, we must
understand that
(i) When a person is suffering from a disease, damage occurs to one or more body functions. At times, the
person may not fully recover from the same.
(ii) Treatment of an infectious disease and complete physical recovery afterwards would take time. This would
keep the patient bed ridden for atleast a few days.
(iii) The infected person can serve as a source of infection from where the infection may spread to other people.
In other words, even if a person recovers from the disease, some or all of the above mentioned conditions
are going to arise. Hence, it is better to prevent a disease rather to cure it. In order to prevent a disease,
following measures can be taken :
(A) General ways of preventing infections :
I. Public health measures : Public health measures include the measures taken at community level
so as to prevent infection. They mostly relate to prevent the exposure to infectious microbes.
(a) Avoid overcrowded places : Overcrowding would lead to the spread of contagious and air-
borne diseases. So, we can prevent the exposure to air-borne microbes by providing living
conditions that avoid overcrowding.
(b) Sanitation : Waste water and garbage should be properly disposed to avoid spread of vector-
borne and food-borne diseases. Drains should be cleaned regularly and be covered. This would
not allow mosquito breeding.
(c) Clean drinking water : Drinking water being supplied to the public should be clean and free from
any microbial contamination. Safe drinking water is thus essential to prevent exposure to water-
borne diseases.
Thus, public hygiene is one basic key to prevent spread of infectious diseases.
Fig. 7 : Garbage accumulation enhances the chances of spread of diseases
II. Personal health measures : Along with public health measures, certain personal health measures
should also be undertaken so as to prevent the spread of diseases.
(a) Proper nutrition : For keeping good health and prevention of infectious diseases, we should eat
a balanced diet containing adequate amount of all the vital nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins,
fats, vitamins, minerals, water and roughage. Proper nourishment helps in keeping all the
body systems healthy, including the immune system. A strong immune system is able to kill the
pathogen long before it is able to multiply. The immune system consists of cells specialized in
killing the infecting microbes. These cells come into action each time infecting microbes enter
the body. For instance, if someone is suffering from cold and cough in the class, it is likely that
the children sitting around will be exposed to the infection. But all of them do not actually suffer
from the disease because of the strong immune system.
(b) Proper personal hygiene : Personal cleanliness helps to restrict infection by microbes. It
includes regular bathing, brushing of teeth, washing hands before and after meals etc.
(c) Proper domestic hygiene : Cleaning the utensils after use, proper dusting, sweeping, proper
disposal of domestic wastes and protection from mosquitoes and flies are important for protection
against infection.
(d) Proper exercise : Physical exercise would help improve digestion, blood circulation and relieve
tension. Some important exercises are jogging, cycling, yoga, playing games, etc.
(e) Freedom from addictions : Tobacco, smoking, alcohol and narcotic drugs disturb the functioning
of different parts of the body. Soon, the person gets addicted to them. So, these addictions should
be avoided.
(f) Clean air : Polluted air or unclean air causes many ailments ranging from simple eye irritation
to bronchitis or even lung cancer. So, clean air is essential for healthy living.
(g) Clean food and water : Freshly purchased fruits and vegetables must be washed thoroughly
with clean water for removing microbes, pesticide spray, etc. Food grains should be similarly
checked for any infestation and stored properly. Drinking water should also be clean, free from
contamination and harmful chemicals.
(h) Relaxation : Relief from work is called relaxation. There are different ways to relax such as
listening to music, reading, watching movie, meditation, etc. It provides rest to muscles and
relieves tension and stress.
So, in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, care has to be taken at community level
as well as at personal level.
(B) Specific ways of preventing infections :
These are the methods which strengthen the body’s immune system so as to check the occurrence of
microbial infection. The body’s ability to resist diseases is called immunity and the method of developing
immunity is called immunisation. Immunisation is generally carried out through administration of
vaccines.
Vaccines are preparations containing heat killed or chemically weakened pathogens or their surface
coatings which function as antigen.
Principle of immunization or vaccination :
Vaccination is the most common method of preventing infection of microorganisms, especially bacteria
and viruses. In this, a vaccine (antigen) is inoculated (injected) inside the body to trigger the immune
system to form antibodies against that antigen. Actually, the vaccine mimics the microbe against which
we want to develop the immunity. It produces antibodies which prevent any subsequent exposure to the
infecting microbe from turning into actual disease. This happens because when the immune system first
sees an infectious microbe, it responds against it and then remembers it specifically. So, the next time
that particular microbe, or its close relatives enter the body, the immune system responds with even
greater vigour. This eliminates the infection even more quickly than the first time.
In older days, when smallpox epidemic was common, the healthy people used to be very afraid of coming
near someone suffering from the disease since they were afraid of catching the disease. Only those person
who had smallpox earlier and survived it, used to provide nursing care because they had no fear of recurrence
of the disease. Today, smallpox has been completely eradicated through mass immunisation programme.
Today, many vaccines are available for preventing a whole range of infectious diseases. And to provide a
disease-specific means of prevention, there are vaccines against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough,
measles, polio and many others.
Of course, vaccination and other health measures can be successful only if they are available to all. Despite
pulse polio campaign to eradicate polio from India, new cases do come up due to certain areas where children
are unable to receive polio drops.
Further, vaccine has to be provided at proper age. For example, vaccine against hepatitis A is of no use if
given to a child after 5 years of age because by that time one has contracted an infection and become immune
to the same.
E tra Sho s
Edward Jenner (1749-1823) was a British physician, who developed the vaccine for smallpox. He
observed that the individuals (like milkmaids) who had cowpox, developed a minor skin lesion but
they did not catch smallpox even during epidemic as they became immune to smallpox. From this
observation, he developed a vaccine from cowpox lesion which provided immunity to the people
against smallpox. This was because the smallpox virus is closely related to the cowpox virus.
The term ‘vaccine’ is derived from a Latin word-vaccinia, which means cowpox (‘cow’ is ‘vacca’ in
latin).
DNA vaccines are the vaccines that have been developed by genetic engineering in which the gene
that codes for an antigen has been inserted into a bacterial plasmid and then injected into the host.
There are two terms namely vaccination and immunisation which are used as synonyms but they
literally do not mean the same thing. Vaccination refers to the administration of any vaccine
in the body whereas immunisation refers to the process by which the body produces
antibodies as a result of administration of specific vaccines.
Edward Jenner
Examples of Infectious Diseases

I. Bacterial Diseases
(a) Typhoid (Enteric fever) : Typhoid is the most common communicable disease.
(i) Causal agent : A bacterium Salmonella typhi, commonly found in intestine of man. The bacterium
spreads through faecal matter by house flies.
(ii) Portal of entry : Gastrointestinal tract (by contaminated food and/or water).
(iii) Incubation period : 1-3 weeks. (Incubation period is the period between infection and the
appearance of signs of a disease).
(iv) Symptoms : Increase in body temperature, headache, abdominal pain and typhoid fever which
rises maximum in the afternoon. Also, the temperature increases each day in the first week.
Persistent high fever in 2nd week and then gradually decreases during 3rd and 4th week.
Tender and distended abdomen, resulting in constipation.
Diarrhoea with water-green stools. (may become haemorrhagic)
Eruption of rosy spots or rashes on the upper abdomen.
(v) Treatment : Standard medication used is chloromycetin.
TAB vaccine provides immunity for 3 years.
(vi) Preventive measures : Proper disposal of faecal matter.
Disinfection of water and proper cooking of food.
Vaccination provides immunity.
Typhoid oral vaccine also prevents typhoid.
Fig. 8 : Typhoid causing bacteria (Salmonella typhi)
(b) Tuberculosis (Koch’s disease) : Tuberculosis can spread directly (by sneezing, coughing) or
indirectly (airborne disease) but it could also be contracted from animals. Tuberculosis (T.B) was first
discovered by Robert Koch in 1882. The bacterium releases a toxin tuberculin. Most commonly
it affects the lungs. It may also affect brain, intestine, eyes etc.
(i) Causal agent : Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
(ii) Portal of entry : Respiratory tract.
(iii) Incubation period : 2-10 weeks.
(iv) Symptoms : Anorexia (loss of appetite) and weight loss. Typical fever pattern and night sweats
are also common.
Depending upon the site of infection, the symptoms may vary. Two specific sites of infection and
their corresponding symptoms are :
(a) Lung (pulmonary) T.B. : Persistent cough.
Loss of weight and weakness.
Sputum containing blood.
Chest pain and breathlessness are common features.
(b) Lymph gland T.B. : Swelling and tenderness of lymph glands and nodes, often in legs, which
may discharge secretions through the skin.
(v) Treatment : Six essential drugs used in the treatment of T.B. are - Rifampicin; INH;
Streptomycin, Pyrazinamide, Ethambutol and Thioacetozone.
Proper rest, proper diet, rehabilitation and surgery help in controlling the disease.
(vi) Preventive measures : Good public health measures.
Isolation and proper rehabilitation of TB patients.
Good ventilation, good nutrition and avoid crowded places.
Immunisation with BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guerin) vaccine which
consists of weakened Tuberculosis bacillus and provides immunity.
Health education, e.g., avoiding spitting, use of handkerchief while
sneezing and coughing, etc.
Try Yourself
5. The causal agent of typhoid is
(1) E.coli (2) Salmonella typhi
(3) Giardia (4) Staphylococcus
6. Widal test is done for the diagnosis of which of the following disease?
(1) Typhoid (2) Malaria
(3) Jaundice (4) AIDS
7. Causative agent of Koch’s disease is a
(1) Bacterium (2) Virus
(3) Protozoan (4) Helminth
8. Koch’s disease is also known as
(1) Tuberculosis (2) Typhoid
(3) Cholera (4) Amoebic dysentery
9. TAB vaccine is given for prevention of which disease?

(1) Cholera (2) Tetanus
(3) Tuberculosis (4) Typhoid
[Ans. 5(2), 6(1), 7(1), 8(1), 9(4)]
II. Viral Diseases

(a) Rabies : It is a fatal viral disease, that is transmitted to human beings by biting (saliva) of rabies
infected animals such as dog or cat etc. Disease is not expressed after infection even upto 1-3
months.
(i) Causal agent : Rabies virus.
(ii) Portal of entry : Skin break (due to bite of an infected animal).
(iii) Incubation period : 2 - 3 months but may vary from 1 week to 1 year depending upon location
of virus entry and viral load.
(iv) Symptoms : Patient develops fear of water, i.e., hydrophobia (hydro - water; phobia - fear).
Severe headache and high fever.
Painful contraction of muscles of throat and chest.
Inability to swallow even liquid food due to choked throat.
Severe damage to central nervous system which may cause paralysis and
sometimes even death.
(v) Treatment : Rabies is fatal as the virus damages the brain and spinal cord.
Bitten wounds should be cleaned immediately. Wash the wound with carbolic
soap and clean water immediately after the bite. Consult the doctor for
antirabies vaccine as soon as possible.
Rabies could be treated with Pasteur’s treatment in which a course of 14
vaccines is given. But, now five doses of anti-rabies vaccines are given at an
interval of 0, 3, 7, 14 and 30th day of dog bite.
(vi) Preventive measures : Dogs and other pet animals should be vaccinated by the owners.
Government and NGOs should vaccinate the stray dogs and
monkeys.
Rabies infected dogs and monkeys should be euthanised (mercy
killing).
(b) Polio : It is also called infantile paralysis. It is a disease of the nervous system caused by one
of the smallest known virus, called polio virus.
(i) Causal agent : A virus Entero virus or Polio virus.
(ii) Portal of entry : Gastrointestinal tract. The virus first reaches the intestine, then it enters the
central nervous system via bloodstream. There, it destroys the motor nerve cells of spinal cord
that are responsible for muscular control. Therefore, the muscles of polio-infected person are unable
to carry out normal functions.
(iii) Incubation period : 7-14 days.
(iv) Symptoms : Inflammation of the nervous system.
Initial symptoms include stiffening of neck and convulsions.
Legs become paralysed.
Respiratory centres in the brain may be damaged which may prove fatal.
(v) Treatment : There is no cure for polio.
(vi) Preventive measures : Proper disposal of urine and faeces of the patient.
Avoidance of overcrowding of children in schools, playgrounds and
other public spaces.
Oral polio vaccine is safe as well as effective.
Fig. 9 : Deformity caused by Polio

(c) AIDS : AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It was first detected in June 1981 in
USA. This virus weakens the human body’s immunity or self-defence mechanism.
(i) Causal agent : Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The genetic material of this virus is RNA.
(ii) Modes of transmission : Transfusion of contaminated blood.
Unprotected sexual contact with an infected person carrying HIV.
Use of contaminated needles or blade or razors and other equipment
of barbers.
From infected mother to child during child birth, breast feeding.
(iii) Symptoms : Swollen lymph nodes.
Regular fever.
Weight loss.
Virus also causes severe damage to brain, leading to loss of memory, ability to
speak and think.
Immunity of the body is severely compromised so patient dies due to secondary
infections especially pneumonia, tuberculosis etc.
Sweating at night.
A full blown AIDS patient dies within 3 years.
(iv) Incubation period : 6 months - 10 years.
(v) Treatment : Though, there is still no cure for AIDS, use of certain drugs can help by improving the
quality of life as well as the life span. Azidothymidine (AZT) drug is given. This inhibits
the replication of virus.
ART (Anti retroviral therapy) can prolong the life of AIDS patient.
(vi) Preventive measures : Public awareness would help limit the spread of the disease.
Regular and mandatory screening of blood donors, pregnant women, etc.
Use of disposable syringes.
Compulsory blood check prior to transfusion.
Using condoms and adopt hygienic sexual habits.
Use of common blades at barber’s shop should be avoided.
III. Protozoan Diseases

Malaria : Malaria infects about 300 million people around the world and kills about 2 million people every
year. So, it is a fatal disease.
(i) Causal agent : Malaria is caused by a protozoan Plasmodium.
(ii) Mode of transmission : Bite of female ( ) Anopheles mosquito which feeds on human blood in order
to obtain proteins from blood plasma when it needs for development of its eggs. It spreads the disease
from an infected to a healthy person. (Male anopheles mosquito feeds upon plant juices).
(iii) Incubation period : It varies in different species of Plasmodium.
(iv) Symptoms : Main symptoms of malaria include nausea, headache, muscular pain and high fever.
Each malarial attack is 6-10 hours long and has 3 stages :
Stage 1 – Cold stage : The patient feels cold and begins to shiver.
Stage 2 – Hot stage : Patient suffers from high fever, elevated breathing rate and heart beat.
Stage 3 – Sweating stage : Patient shows profuse sweating and the body temperature returns to
normal.
(v) Treatment : Quinine, a drug developed from the bark of Cinchona tree is used for the treatment of
malaria. Other medications include mefloquine, artemisinin and doxycycline.
(vi) Preventive measures : Prevent the entry of mosquitoes by using insect repellants and mosquito
nets. Mosquito larvae can be killed by sprinkling kerosene oil on stagnant water bodies or by
introducing larvivorous fishes like Gambusia, minnows and trouts in water bodies. The breeding grounds
of mosquitoes (like swamps, ditches etc.) should be destroyed.
Try Yourself
10. AIDS is caused by a
(1) Virus (2) Bacterium
(3) Protozoan (4) Helminth
11. The antimalarial drug is obtained from
(1) Roots of Cinchona tree (2) Bark of Cinchona tree
(3) Leaf of Cinchona tree (4) Any part of the plant
12. Infantile paralysis is also known as
(1) Polio (2) Typhoid
(3) Jaundice (4) Hepatitis
13. Children are given Polio vaccine
(1) Orally (2) By injection
(3) By nasal drops (4) Through pills
14. Which of the following diseases is not transmitted by mosquito?
(1) Brain fever (2) Malaria
(3) Typhoid (4) Dengue
15. Preparation of anti-viral drugs is more difficult than anti-bacterial medicines because
(1) Virus makes use of host machinery
(2) Virus lacks a cellular structure
(3) Virus has a very few biochemical mechanisms of its own
(4) All of these
16. If you live in an overcrowded and poorly ventilated house, it is possible that you may suffer from
which of the following diseases?
(1) Cancer (2) AIDS
(3) Tuberculosis (4) Cholera
17. Vectors can be defined as
(1) Animals that carry the infecting agents from sick person to healthy person
(2) Microorganisms which cause many diseases
(3) Infected person
(4) Disease causing microorganisms
18. If a pathogen enters the body via nose, it will likely affect the
(1) Circulatory system (2) Respiratory tract
(3) Nervous system (4) Skeletal system
19. Antipyretic drugs can
(1) Cause pain (2) Bring down the fever
(3) Control loose motions (4) Relieve pain
20. Which of the following is not a viral disease?
(1) Dengue (2) AIDS
(3) Typhoid (4) Influenza
[Ans. 10(1), 11(2), 12(1), 13(1), 14(3), 15(4), 16(3), 17(1), 18(2), 19(2), 20(3)]
QUICK RECAP
1. The health of an individual depends on his/her physical surroundings and his/her economic status.
2. To be healthy and to be disease-free is not the same.
3. A person can be unhealthy even in the absence of disease.
4. The malfunctioning of any tissue, organ or system will cause discomfort, i.e., dis + ease, i.e., disease.
5. Diseases are classified as acute or chronic, depending on their duration.
6. Acute diseases are of short duration and after treatment, the recovery is often complete. On the other
hand, chronic diseases are of longer duration and the patient is often unable to lead a normal and
productive life.
7. Disease may be due to infectious or non-infectious causes.
8. Infectious agents belong to different categories of organisms and may be unicellular and microscopic or
multicellular.
9. Malaria, amoebic dysentery, typanosomiasis and leishmaniasis are some commonly studied diseases that
are caused by protozoans.
10. Ringworm and athlete’s foot are examples of fungal diseases.
11. Taeniasis and ascariasis are the diseases caused by helminths.
12. The category to which a disease-causing organism belongs decides the type of treatment.
13. Diseases could spread through air, water, food, blood transfusion, mother-to-child, skin contact, sexual
contact or by animal vectors.
14. Depending upon the type of disease and the portal of entry, the organ where the disease manifests itself
would be different.
15. In order to treat a disease, either reduce the effect of the disease or kill the microorganism or disease-
causing agent.
16. Prevention of diseases is more desirable than its successful treatment.
17. In order to prevent a disease from infesting itself in our body, both public health measures as well as
personal health measures are essential.
18. Infectious diseases can also be prevented by using immunisation.
19. Vaccination refers only to the administration of any vaccine while immunisation refers to the process
by which the body produces antibodies due to administration of a specific vaccine.
20. Effective prevention of infectious diseases in the community requires that everyone should have access
to public hygiene and immunisation.
21. Deficiency diseases, degenerative diseases, cancer, metabolic diseases and injury and/or accident are
examples of non-infectious diseases.

Assignment
10. What is the relationship between peptic ulcers and
SECTION-A Helicobacter pylori?
Very Short Answer Type Questions : 11. AIDS could be present in a child by birth and yet
1. Give any two examples of bacterial diseases. it is not a congenital disease. Explain.
2. Give examples of viral diseases. 12. Diseases can be classified in many ways. Write
the classification of diseases on the basis of
3. Define immunization. duration.
4. What are antibiotics?
Long Answer Type Questions :
5. Name the two principles of treatment.
1. Explain the difference between being healthy and
Short Answer Type Questions : being disease-free.
2. Explain how immune system of human body

1. Define vaccination.
responds to infection.
2. What do you mean by the immediate cause of a
3. What are the principles of treatment? Explain in
disease?
brief.
3. State any two conditions essential for good health.
4. State any two conditions essential for being free of SECTION-B

disease.
Objective Type Questions :
5. List any three reasons why would you think that
you are sick and ought to see a doctor. If only 1. Which of the following is a viral disease?
one of these symptoms were present would you
(1) Common cold (2) Typhoid
still go to the doctor? Why or why not?
(3) Amoebic dysentery (4) Ringworm
6. Why are we normally advised to take balanced
and nourished food when we are sick? 2. An insect which transmits a disease is known as
7. Differentiate between vaccination and immunization. (1) Intermediate host
8. What are the different means by which infectious (2) Parasite
diseases are spread?
(3) Vector
9. Antibiotics work against bacteria but not against
virus. Explain. (4) Prey
3. Which of the following is the vector for dengue? 12. Which of the following diseases is not an
(1) Glossina infectious disease?
(2) Aedes mosquito (1) AIDS
(3) Anopheles mosquito (2) Sleeping sickness
(4) Culex mosquito (3) Leprosy
4. Causative agent of elephantiasis is a (4) Arthritis
(1) Bacterium (2) Protozoan 13. The disease which begins abruptly and lasts only
for a short duration is known as
(3) Helminth (4) Virus
(1) Acute disease
5. Which of the following is common between
ringworm and athlete’s foot? (2) Chronic disease
(1) Both are caused by protozoans (3) Congenital disease
(2) Both are fungal diseases (4) None of these
(3) Both affect the same organ-brain 14. Which of the following is not related to a carrier or
a vector?
(4) Both are genetic in origin
(1) Malaria
6. In order to prevent bacterial infection, which of the
following is given? (2) Kala-azar
(1) Vitamin pills (2) Anti-viral drugs (3) Ascariasis
(3) Interferons (4) Antibiotics (4) Dengue fever
7. Which of the following is not a bacterial disease? 15. Which of the following is a chronic disease?
(1) Cholera (2) Typhoid (1) Common cold (2) Asthma
(3) Anthrax (4) Smallpox (3) Diabetes (4) Both (2) & (3)
8. Which of the following is not a viral disease? 16. Which of the following is a mismatch?
(1) Chicken pox (2) Polio (1) Leprosy – Bacterial infection
(3) Hepatitis B (4) Amoebic dysentery (2) AIDS – Bacterial infection
9. Which of the following is not a disease caused by (3) Malaria – Protozoan infection
protozoans? (4) Elephantiasis – Nematode infection
(1) Malaria (2) Ascariasis 17. Which of the following are sexually transmitted
(3) Trypanosomiasis (4) Leishmaniasis disease(s)?
10. Which of the following is not a sexually (a) Syphilis (b) Typhoid
transmitted disease? (c) AIDS (d) Leprosy
(1) Syphilis (2) Gonorrhoea (e) Diphtheria (f) Cholera
(3) AIDS (4) Taeniasis (1) (a) & (c) (2) (c), (d) & (f)
11. Which of the following disease(s) is/are air-borne? (3) (a), (b), (c) & (d) (4) Only (e)
(a) Pneumonia 18. Pain in abdomen is a
(b) Tuberculosis (1) Symptom
(c) AIDS (2) Sign
(1) Only (a) (2) Only (b) (3) Cause
(3) (a) & (b) (4) (a) & (c) (4) Effect

CHAPTER 4
Why Do We Fall ill? THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES
z Personal and Community Issues both Matter

for Health
¾ Good Economic Conditions
PERSONAL AND COMMUNITY ISSUES BOTH MATTER
FOR HEALTH ¾ Personal Hygiene
Factors included in social environment are: z Diseases and their Causes

(i) Good economic conditions : A balanced diet is z Chronic Diseases and Poor Health
essential for good health. There should be proper
earning in order to provide food to everyone in the z Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases
family and money could be earned by doing work.
¾ Typhoid
For this, the opportunity to do work should be
available to everyone. Good economic conditions ¾ Tuberculosis
and jobs are therefore needed for maintaining the
health of individuals. ¾ Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme
(ii) Personal hygiene : Personal cleanliness includes (PPIP)
washing of hands, brushing of teeth, taking bath
regularly, regular changing of clothes including ¾ AIDS
undergarments, care of eyes, etc. Besides these,
¾ Malnutrition
timely vaccination and personal protection from
vectors of diseases are also important. z Minerals and Vitamins
¾ Summary of Different Diseases
Mind Blowing
Information z Some Important Definitions
z Assignment
Hippocrates is called the father of medicine and
doctors take ‘Hippocratic oath’ at the beginning of
medical practice. This oath is taken, so as to affirm
their obligation to this noble profession and also proper
conduct.
DISEASES AND THEIR CAUSE

I. Classification based on portal of entry : Portal of entry can be defined as the pathway by which
infectious agents or organisms gain access into the body. The diseases thus can be classified on the
basis of portal of entry.
(a) Gastrointestinal tract : Diseases in which the pathogen enters the body through the gastrointestinal
tract. For example, in amoebiasis, the pathogen - Entamoeba histolytica enters the body via mouth.
(b) Respiratory tract : Diseases in which the pathogen enters the body through the respiratory tract.
For example, Mycobacterium tuberculosis enters the body through nose, goes into the lungs and
causes tuberculosis.
24 Why Do We Fall ill? Biology - Class IX (Level-II)
(c) Urinogenital tract : Diseases in which the pathogen enters the body through the urinogenital tract.
For example, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) may enter the body through genital tract during
sexual contact.
(d) Skin : Diseases in which the pathogen enters the body through skin like through mosquito bite or
cuts in skin. For example, tetanus (caused by Clostridium tetani) infection occurs through open wound.
II. Classification based on whether the disease is by birth or not : On the basis of this factor, diseases
can be classified into two main categories - Congenital and Acquired diseases.
(a) Congenital diseases : These diseases are present since birth. These are the abnormalities caused
due to abnormal chromosome number, abnormal chromosome structure, malfunctioning of a gene,
organ or any metabolic pathway. Generally, such diseases are difficult to cure and there is a possibility
of these defects being passed on to the next generation. Down’s syndrome, haemophilia, colour
blindness, etc. are examples of congenital diseases.
(b) Acquired diseases : Acquired diseases are picked up after birth and are further classified as follows :
(i) Infectious or communicable diseases : These diseases are caused by disease-causing
microorganisms or pathogens viz. bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoans, worms or helminths, etc.
These diseases are called communicable diseases because the microbes or infectious agents
can spread from a diseased person to a healthy person by means of air, water, food, physical
contacts, etc. For example, tuberculosis, malaria, diarrhoea, etc.
(ii) Non-infectious or Non-communicable diseases : These diseases are not caused by any
infectious agents or microorganisms. These are mostly due to internal, non-infectious causes. For
example, cancers caused by genetic abnormalities, and high blood pressure can be caused by
excessive weight and lack of exercise.
These diseases are called non-communicable because they do not spread in the community from
an infected person to another person.
CHRONIC DISEASES AND POOR HEALTH

Acute and chronic diseases have different effects on our health. Any disease that causes poor functioning
of any part of the body will affect our general health as well, because all functions of the body are necessary
for general health.
(a) Acute diseases : These are short duration diseases which impair the normal activity of the body only
for a few days. The patient gets recovered soon and begins to live a normal active life again. Since an
acute disease over very soon, it does not cause major effects on general health. For example, all of us
suffer from cough and cold from time to time but we get better and become well within a week or so,
as they do not cause drastic long-term effects on health.
(b) Chronic diseases : Chronic diseases have very drastic long-term effects on general health as
compared to acute diseases. These are long duration diseases which generally develop slowly with the
course of time. A person is likely to have prolonged general poor health if he is suffering from a chronic
disease. He feels tired all the time, shortness of breath occurs, appetite is poor and loss of weight
occurs. For example, tuberculosis of the lungs, diabetes, etc., are chronic diseases.
E tra Sho s
(i) SARS virus : A recently emerged species of coronavirus was responsible for a worldwide outbreak of
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003. SARS is a respiratory infection with pneumonia
like symptoms. The causative agent is a RNA virus (retro virus). The SARS virus was first reported in
China.
(ii) You may have seen news or read newspaper reports about the ‘bird flu virus’ which created a havoc in
the country and drastically affected egg and chicken consumption. ‘Bird flu’ is caused by H5N1 virus
which originated in Thailand. Flu viruses are RNA viruses. A H5N1 virus attacks birds and mammals
and can cause serious flu epidemic in humans.
Biology - Class IX (Level-II) Why Do We Fall ill? 25
(iii) Cholera is caused by Vibrio cholerae a curved gram-negative motile rod bacteria, first isolated by Robert
Koch in 1883.
(iv) Meningitis refers to disease of membranous covering of brain and spinal cord caused by viruses, bacteria,
fungi or protozoa.
e.g., life threatening form of meningitis is meningococcal meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis.
1. Immunity : Body of organisms has the ability to resist the damage caused by various disease-
causing organisms. This ability or disease fighting capacity of the body is called immunity. The
system of animal body that provides protection against diseases is called immune system. The
study of this immune system is called immunology.
2. Antigen : Any foreign substance which stimulates the production of antibodies when introduced
into the body is called antigen. Usually antigens are proteins, but they could be carbohydrates,
nucleic acids or lipids.
3. Antibody : Antibodies are immunoglobulins (Igs) which are produced by specific WBCs (B
lymphocyte) in response to antigenic stimulation. There are five classes of antibodies - IgG, IgA,
IgM, IgE and IgD.
IgA - (Secretory Antibody)
 It is found in mucous secretion of respiratory trait upper part of digestive trait and vagina and
in colostrum.
IgE - Mediator in allergic reactions it activate histamine secreting cells.
IgG - It is only antibody that can cross placenta and confer immunity to fetus.
IgM - It is the one that first activates in an initial attack of Antigen.
IgD - It has role in activating and suppressing lymphocyte activity.
Important vaccines for children
Vaccine Disease
1. BCG 1. Tuberculosis
2. Polio drops 2. Polio
3. DPT 3. Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus
4. Hepatitis B 4. Hepatitis
5. Hib 5. Influenza type B
6. MMR 6. Measles, Mumps, Rubella
Try Yourself
1. Non-communicable disease is the one which is
(1) Non-infectious
(2) Spreading from a diseased person to a healthy person
(3) Transmitted through sexual contact
(4) Caused by a pathogen
2. Which of the following diseases is transmitted by animal bite?
(1) AIDS
(2) Rabies
(3) Tetanus
(4) Tuberculosis
3. A communicable disease is caused by
(1) Metabolic disorder
(2) Deficiency of proteins
(3) Pathogen
(4) Hormonal imbalance
4. Immediate cause of the disease is
(1) Primary cause
(2) First level of cause
(3) Both (1) & (2)
(4) Undernourishment
5. Common and localized effects of inflammation are
(1) Pain, swelling and redness
(2) Pain, jaundice
(3) Fever, vomiting and sneezing
(4) Pneumonia and common cold
[Ans. 1(1), 2(2), 3(3), 4(3), 5(1)]
DIAGNOSIS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Typhoid
1. TAB vaccination : It contains killed typhoid bacilli and paratyphoid organisms - Salmonella paratyphi A and B.
2. Widal test : This test is used to diagnose the typhoid infection.
Tuberculosis
DOTS programme is used for the treatment of tuberculosis (T.B.) It stands for
Directly Observed Treatment, Short-Course (DOTS) therapy.
DOTS is a strategy to ensure treatment by providing the most effective medicine and confirming that it is
taken regularly by the patient.
Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme (PPIP)
It is a programme to eradicate polio through mass immunisation of children. The pulse polio immunisation
programme was launched in 1995-1996 to cover all the children below the age of 3 years. In order to
accelerate the pace of polio eradication from the country, the target age group was increased from 1996-1997
to all children under the age of 5 years. This programme uses oral polio vaccine or OPV. As per the
National Immunisation Schedule (NIS), a dose of 2 drops (0.5 ml) is given orally to the child, i.e., one dose
each at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 month’s age. Finally, a booster dose is given at the age of 1.5 years. The
vaccine consists of milder forms of polio viral particles. After oral administration, virus particles of the vaccine
begin to live in the intestine of the human body and multiply and it also leads to production of protective
molecules (antibodies) in the blood.
Aids
AIDS can be diagnosed by ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) and Western Blotting.
Western Blotting is used for the confirmation, in case ELISA test results are positive.
Zidovudine or AZT (3 -Azido 3, 3 -dideoxythymidine) was the first drug used for the treatment of AIDS.
December 1 is World AIDS Day.

AIDS was first reported in the United States in 1981 among homosexual. In India AIDS infection was
detected in 1986 among female sex workers in Chennai.
National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) was established in 1992.
Reverse Transcriptase
Lipid Bilayer
Glycoprotein
Single-Stranded
HIV-1 RNA
Fig. 1 : Structure of HIV/AIDS virus

Interferons
In case of a viral infection, the body cells produce their own anti-viral protein called Interferon (IFN). The interferon
is released from the host cells that have been infected by the virus and are dying. Upon reaching non-infected
host cell, IFN makes them resistant to the infection of that particular virus. Interferons have been proved to
be effective in the treatment of certain viral infections.
Red ribbon - AIDS awareness campaign logo
Malnutrition
Sometimes, it may happen that we are taking diet but it is deprived from particular nutrient over a period of
time. In this condition people become weak and sick due to insufficient and unbalanced diet. This is referred
to as malnutrition.
Malnutrition
is due to lack of may occur due to
Nutritious food Starvation
Malnutrition may result in deficiency diseases like
1. Mineral deficiency disease
2. Vitamin deficiency disease
3. Protein energy malnutrition
Malnutrition may cause-
(i) Mild cases–slower growth, swollen belly, thin body, loss of appetite, loss of energy, anemia, desire to
eat dirt, sores in corners of mouth, frequent cold and other infections, night blindness.
(ii) Serious cases–little or no weight gain, swelling of feet, dark spots, open peeling sores, thinness or loss
of hair, lack of desire to laugh or play, sores inside mouth, failure to develop normal intelligence, dry eyes
(xerosis), blindness.
MINERALS AND VITAMINS
Both minerals and vitamins occur as small molecules and mostly do not require digestion. These are required
by organisms in small quantities. Minerals are ingested as salts dissolved in water or as part of organic
compounds (food). Still, a few of the minerals are absorbed with the aid of digestive juices (like bile) and gastric
juices. Of the twenty-one essential minerals required by man, some are important for maintaining fluid balance
whereas others help to regulate metabolism by acting as a component of enzymes. Vitamins are essential
for normal metabolism, growth and sound health. The term vitamin was coined by Dr. Funk. Humans can
synthesise vitamin A (retinol) with the help of plant pigment, carotene, which is available in yellow and green
leafy vegetables. Vitamin A forms rhodopsin of rod cells and iodopsin of cone cells. Humans can also
synthesise vitamin D (calciferol) in their skin in the presence of ultra-violet rays. Although most animals can
synthesise vitamin C from glucose, humans cannot; hence, they require it in their diet. These are required for
proper functioning of the body.
Minerals and Related Deficiency Diseases
Minerals required
in small quantity
1. Copper Liver, meat, nuts, legumes Synthesis of enzymes, cell Excess deposition in liver
oxidation, utilization of oxygen causes Wilson's disease.
by the cell and production of Deficiency cause anaemia.
melanin (pigment).
2. Iodine Sea food, iodized salt and Required for the synthesis of Hypersecretion of thyroxine
water thyroxine hormone produced by causes Exophthalmic goitre
thyroid gland, normal and deficiency causes goitre
physiological functions, growth and cretinism in children and
and development. myxoedema in adults.
3. Iron Meat, banana, honey, Constituent of haemoglobin, I t s d e f i c i en c y c a u s e s
dates, green leaf required for oxidation-reduction anaemia.
vegetables, spinach, egg reactions.
yolk, cereals
4. Zinc Soyabean, nuts, meat, Transport of carbon dioxide in Deficiency causes retarded
milk, eggs, sea food blood, synthesis of enzymes. growth, impairs wound
healing, skin lesions, show
sexual development.
5. Cobalt Milk, meat, pulses, fish Required for normal RBCs Deficiency causes anaemia.
formation and maturation.
6. Manganese Nuts, legumes, wheat, Required for normal Deficiency causes infertility,
vegetables reproduction, development of retarded growth and poor
bones, synthesis of RBCs and bone development.
nitrogen metabolism.
7. Fluorine Water, fish, milk Component of tooth enamel Deficiency causes tooth
and bone, prevents tooth decay. decay.
8. Molybdenum Nuts, wheat, cereals, meat Part of several enzymes, Deficiency cause disturbance
required for absorption of iron. in iron metabolism and
affects growth of body.
Minerals required
in large quantity
1. Calcium Dairy products, eggs, Required for formation of bones Deficiency causes rickets,
green vegetables and teeth, helps in clotting of poor skeletal development
blood and keeping normal and muscle spasms.
muscular and neural activity.
2. Magnesium Dairy products, cereals, Synthesis of enzymes, helps in Deficiency causes irritability of
nuts, sea food, green relaxation of muscles and nervous system, convulsions
vegetables, chocolate nerves, synthesis of bones and and hallucinations.
teeth.
3. Chlorine Table salt, sea food Component of HCl in stomach Deficiency disturbs pH
therefore helps in secretion of balance of body fluids and
HCl in stomach, maintains pH causes muscle cramps.
and water balance.
4. Sodium Table salt and most foods Maintains fluid balance, muscle Deficiency causes cramps,
except fruits activity and transmission of dehydration and diarrhoea.
nerve impulses.
5. Potassium Cereals, meat, fruits, and Required for synthesis and Inhibit transmission of nerve
vegetables secretion of neurotransmitter impulses, cause cramps.
and maintaining fluid balance.
6. Sulphur Dairy products, eggs, Component of proteins of the Deficiency causes skin
meat, onion, garlic supportive tissue like keratin of problems and interferes with
hair, nail, horns, etc. and the normal development of
essential for synthesis of hair, nail, etc.
vitamin B1.
7. Phosphorus/ Cereals, fish, meat, dairy Important for formation of Deficiency causes many
Phosphate products, eggs, beans bones, teeth. Keeps muscle metabolic disorders and loss
and neural activity normal and of bone minerals.
synthesis of nucleic acids and
ATP.
Vitamins and Related Deficiency Diseases
A. Water Soluble
1. B-Complex
(i) B 1, Thiamine 1.5 mg Yeast, wheat Part of coenzymes for Beriberi Cooking,
germ, peanuts, aerobic metabolism of baking soda.
beans, lean meat. carbohydrates, aids in
pentose synthesis and
metabolism
(ii) B 2, Riboflavin 2 mg Yeast, liver, milk, Part of coenzymes in ETS, Eye Light
cheese, leafy also needed for oxidation in inflammation, lip
vegetables, endoplasmic reticulum. sores
intestinal bacteria.
(iii) B 5, Pantothenic 5–10 mg Yeast, peas, liver Part of coenzyme A in cell Abnormal Not clear
acid respiration adrenal
functioning
(iv) B 6, Pyridoxine 2 mg Meat, Milk, wheat Part of coenzymes in Skin lesions, Cooking, oral
germ, liver, amino acid metabolism CNS disorder. contraceptives
banana and glycogen synthesis.
(v) B 3, Niacin or 20 mg Yeast, wheat Part of coenzymes (NAD, Pellagra Cooking
Nicotinamide germ, peanuts, NADP) that act as
red meat. hydrogen acceptors and
donors.
(vi) B 9, Folic acid 0.5 mg Liver, green Part of coenzymes in Anaemia, sprue Cooking
vegetables, protein and nucleic acid
banana, orange metabolism
(vii) Vitamin H, Biotin Enough in ordinary Fresh fruits and Coenzyme in fatty acid Scaly and itchy Prolonged use
diet. (10 mg) vegetables, liver, synthesis and in change of skin of antibiotics,
milk, eggs, whole pyruvate to oxaloacetate. sulpha drugs,
grain cereals. raw egg white.
(viii) B 12, Cyanoco- 0.003 mg or 3 g Liver, eggs, milk, Coenzymes for nucleic Pernicious Grilling on
balamin cereals acid metabolism anaemia excessive
heat.
2. C, Ascorbic 50 mg Citrus fruits, Plays a role in collagen Scurvy Heat and light
Acid tomatoes, formation.
peppers.
B. Lipid Soluble
1. A, Retinol 2 mg Yellow Part of visual pigments, Night blindness, Strong light
vegetables, whole maintenance of epithelia, xerophthalmia,
milk, butter, fish prevention of keratinization keratinization of
liver oil, carrots. of epithelia, growth of body. epithelia,
retarded growth
2. D, Calciferol 0.01 mg or 10 g Fish liver oil, egg Facilitates absorption of Rickets in Oral
yolk, milk, liver calcium and phosphorous children, contraceptives
formed in skin by by intestine and their osteomalacia in
action of retention in the body and adults.
ultraviolet light. deposition in bones.
3. E, Tocoferol 15 mg Leafy vegetables, Antioxidant, some role in Destruction of Heat
whole cereal ETS. Antisterility factor RBCs, sterility
grains, vegetable
oils.
4. K, Phylloquinone 0.07–0.14 mg Leafy vegetables, Synthesis of prothrombin Blood clotting Prolonged use
s o y a b e a n o i l , for blood clotting. of antibiotics
intestinal bacteria. and sulpha
drugs
Protein Energy Malnutrition

Protein energy malnutrition : It is an important nutritional problem among pre-school children.
It leads to various degrees of growth retardation. This is due to lack of adequate quantity of protein or
carbohydrate or both, in the diet.
PEM is of two types : Kwashiorkor and Marasmus
Name of deficiency Causes of deficiency Symptoms Prevention/Care
1. Kwashiorkor  It is caused by severe Wasted muscles, thin Protein rich diet obtained
(usually observed in protein deficiency even if limbs, retarded growth of from soyabean, meat,
children in the age sufficient carbohydrates body and brain, swelling of milk, eggs, pulses, fish,
group 1-5 years). and fats are consumed. legs due to retention of jaggery, etc., can help the
water (oedema) reddish individual.
 It is also caused when h a i r, p o t b e l l y a n d
breast feeding of babies is diarrhoea, dark and scaly
stopped at an early age. skin, loss of appetite,
repeated diarrhoea,
enlarged liver and anemia.
2. Marasmus (usually  It is caused by deficiency Impaired growth and Diet rich in proteins and
s een i n i nf ants of proteins, fats and replacement of tissue carbohydrates obtained
below the age of 1 carbohydrates in diet. proteins, thin limbs and fr om cer eal s , c orn ,
year) prominent ribs, emaciated pulses, milk, meat, fish,
 It is also occurs when body, dry, wrinkled and thin etc., can help the
mother's milk is replaced s k i n , d i a r r h oe a a n d individual.
with food having low d eg en er at i on of t h e
protein cont ent and muscles.
calorific value.
Hair pale Normal hair

and thinned
Moon face Like old
Will not eat person's face
Skin patches of Gross muscle

pigmentation wasting
Liver usually
palpable No fat
Oedema
Oedema
No oedema
Kwashiorkor Marasmus
Fig. 2 : Children suffering from Kwashiorkor and Marasmus
32
SUMMARY OF DIFFERENT DISEASES

Communicable Incubation Causative Mode of Portal of Treatments
Disease Period Agent Transmission Entry
1. Tetanus 3 days to 3 weeks in Clostridium tetani  Through punctured Puncture wound  Antibiotics
(Lock jaw) adult. (Bacteria) wounds  Tetanus antitoxin
3 to 30 days in newborn  Dental extraction
Why Do We Fall ill?
 Babies deliver to
mother without tetanus
toxoid.
 Unrecognized wounds
(cleaning of the ears
with sharp materials).
2. Encephalitis Typically 5 to 15 days but Arbovirus  Transmitted to human Skin mucosa or  Promote comfort to the
(Brain fever) may ranges 4-21 days. (Virus) by bite of an infected membrane. client.
mosquito.
 Monitor intake and
 Mosquito becomes output.
infected by biting an  Convulsion must be
infected bird. controlled.
 Nose and throat

secretions should be
sanitary disposed off.
 Oral care should be

done strictly.
3. Poliomyelitis 7-21 days for paralytic Polio virus  Direct contact - Oropharyngeal mucosa Supportive measures
(Infantile paralysis) case. (Virus) through feces, intestinal mucosa.  Analgesics for
oropharyngeal headache.
 Antibiotics to prevent
 Person to person
infection.
through healthy carrier
 Indirectly through food

and water
Biology - Class IX (Level-II)
4. Rabies 1 week - 7½ months in Rabies virus Through the bite and Through open wounds  Immediate and
(Hydrophobia) dogs. (Virus) virus-contanining saliva and mucous membrane thorough cleaning of
1 week - 1 year in of an infected host. such as eyes, nose and the wound with soap.
humans mouth contaminated with
saliva containing the  Immunize all dogs and
virus. cats
 Immunize any person

with proven or
probable exposure to
rabies and administer
rabies immunoglobulin
in case of severe
exposure.
5. Dengue fever 3-14 days commonly Dengue virus  Bite of an infected Deposited in the skin by  Analgesics drugs
(Breakbone fever) 7-10 days. (Virus) mosquito principally the vector. rather than Aspirin.
the Aedes aegypti.
 Intravenous infusion
 Blood transfusion
 Oxygen therapy
 Sedatives
6. Malaria 12-30 days (depending Plasmodium 1. Mechanically through The infected cells will be Anti-malarial drugs:
on the Plasmodium (Protozoa) bite of an infected circulated in the body · Quinine
species) The primary vector of female Anopheles through the blood stream
malaria is the female mosquito. or blood.
Anopheles mosquito. 2. Parenterally through
blood transmission.
3. Through shared
contaminated needles.
Why Do We Fall ill?
4. Through placental
transmission.
33
34

7. Filariasis 8 to 16 months Wuchereria bancrofti 1. Person to person by Skin by mosquito bite. Suitable medication
(Elephantiasis) (Roundworm) mosquito bites. (Culex mosquito) Treatment act by:
2. Persons having a. Eliminating the larvae.
circulating microfilariae b. Impairing the adult
are outwardly health worms ability to
Why Do We Fall ill?
but transmit the reproduce.

infection to others c. Actually killing the
through mosquito adults worm.
bites.
3. Persons with chronic
filaria swellings.
8. Measles Usually 10 to 12 days. Rubeola virus  Through direct contact  Respiratory tract.  Anti-viral drugs.
(Rubeola) Longest is 20 days and (Virus) with droplets spread  Droplets.  Antibiotics if there’s a
shortest is 8 days. through coughing or complication.
sneezing.  Supportive therapy
 Indirectly through  Oxygen inhalation

articles or fomites  IV fluids.
freshly contaminated
with respiratory
secretions or infected
patients.
9. Chicken pox 10-21 days or may be Varicella zoster virus 1. Direct contact with a Newly infected mouth. 1. Calamine lotion
prolonged after passive (Virus) patient who sheds the 2. Antipyretics
immunization against virus from the vesicles. 3. Antihistamine
chicken pox. 2. Indirect contact,
through linens or
fomites.
3. Airborne, or spread by
aerosolized droplets
from the nasopharynx
of ill individuals.
10. Diphtheria Usually 2 to 5 days, Corynebacterium Contact with a patient or Spread person to person  Antitoxin
occasionally longer. diphtheriae carrier or with articles via respiratory droplets or  Antibiotics
(Bacteria) soiled with discharges of skin contact.  Hospitalization
infected person. Milk has  Bed rest
served as a vehicle.  Intravenous fluids
 Isolation to avoid
contagion
11. Pertussis The incubation period of Bordetella pertussis 1. Transmission most Respiratory tract. Antibiotic effective
(Whooping cough) pertussis is commonly 7- (Bacteria) commonly occurs by against pertussis should
10 days, with a range of the respiratory route be administered to all
4-21 days, and rarely close contacts of persons
through contact with
may be as long as 42 with pertussis, regardless
respiratory droplets, or
days. of age and vaccination
by contact with status.
airborne droplets of
respiratory secretions.
2. Transmission occurs
less frequently by
contact with freshly
contaminated articles
of an infected person.
12. Pneumonia 1-3 days Streptococcus Respiratory droplets from Respiratory tract.  Hydration
pneumoniae the nose or mouth of an  Oxygen inhalation
infected person.
 Chest physiotherapy
13. Influenza 1-4 days Influenza virus  Direct transmission  Flu shot (annually)
(Commonly known as flu) (average : 2 days)  Airborne route  Bed rest
 Hand-to-eye, hand-to-
 Fluids
nose, or hand-to-
Why Do We Fall ill?
mouth transmission
35
36

14. SARS SARS is usually from 2-7 Corona virus By droplet spread The portal of entry is Treatment for SARS is
(Severe acute respiratory days, but up to 10 days. through close person to thought to be inhalation focused on providing
syndrome) A 3-5 day incubation person contact. or contact with mucous relief of symptoms and
period in most common. membranes and/or complications as the
body fights the SARS
conjunctiva.
Why Do We Fall ill?
virus.
15. Typhoid fever Average 10-14 days Salmonellae typhi Through the ingestion of  Alimentary tract. Fluids and electrolytes
food or drink may be given through a
contaminated by the vein (intravenously).
faeces or urine of Appropriate antibiotics
are given to kill the
infected people.
bacteria.
16. Amoebiasis The incubation period in Entamoeba histolytica 1. The disease can be Oral route 1. Antibiotics
(Amoebic dysentery) severe infection is three (Protozoa) passed from one person 2. Lost fluid and
to another through fecal- electrolytes should be
days.
oral transmission. replaced.
In average cases the
incubation period varies
from three to four weeks.
17. Ascariasis The lifecycle requires Ascaris lumbricoides 1. Ascaris lumbricoides is  Ingestion of Suitable medications
(Round worm infection) four to eight weeks to (Roundworm) transmitted through contaminated water or
complete. contaminated fingers with eating raw
put into the mouth. vegetables
 Soil contaminated with
2. Ingestion of food and
human excreta.
drinks contaminated
with embryonated eggs
can transmit
Ascariasis.
18. Mumps From 12-26 days, usually Mumps virus, a member 1. Spread by direct Respiratory tract.  Active immunization of
18 days. contact with a person patient against mumps.
of the family
who has the disease.
Paramyxoviridae
19. Cholera One (1) - Five (5) days Vibrio cholerae Indirect contact, Transmitted by either Oral Rehydration
after ingestion of transmitted by either contaminated food or Therapy
bacteria. contaminated food or water. Antibiotics
water.
Electrolyte replacements
20. Human The period between Human From a pregnant woman 1. Needle sticks Drugs such as
immunodeficiency virus infection and the immunodeficiency virus to the fetus during Once used, the dirty Zidovudine (ZDV)
infection/acquired appearance of AIDS can (HIV) pregnancy, child delivery Nursing Management:
needle can transmit
1. An Education. The
immunodeficiency take from 7 to 12 years. or breast feeding. disease through the
health care worker
syndrom HIV infection can last HIV is transmitted by skin directly into the must:
(HIV/AIDS) from about three years to three main routes: bloodstream. a. Give practical advice
over 20 years (on 1. Sexual contact. 2. Gestational portals b. Inform the client of
average, about eight 2. Exposure to infected the disease process
A fetus is directly
years). body fluids or tissues. and the mode of
connected to its transmission.
3. From mother to child
mother by umbilical c. Emphasize the
during pregnancy,
arteries that facilitate “AIDS” awareness
delivery or breast program.
transmission of the
feeding (known as 2. Prevention
mother’s blood and
vertical transmission). a.Care should be
nutrients to baby. taken to avoid
3. Open wounds accidental pricks
Uncovered wounds are from sharp
instruments
vulnerable portals of
contaminated with
entry for potential
potentially infectious
contact with blood- materials from an
borne pathogens. AIDS patient.
4. Mucous membranes b.Gloves should be
worn when handling
HIV, a blood borne
blood specimens
pathogen, is and other body
transmitted through secretions, as well
mucous membranes as surfaces,
during sexual contact. materials and
Why Do We Fall ill?
objects exposed to
them.
37
SOME IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS
1. Disease : Disease can be defined as the malfunctioning of the body organs due to one reason or the
other.
2. Health : Health can be defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not
just the absence of disease, which enables a person to lead a socially and economically productive life.
3. Host : Host is an organism from which a parasite obtains its nourishment.
4. Immunization : It refers to the process by which the body produces antibodies due to the administration
of a specific vaccine.
5. Pathogen : Pathogen can be defined as an organism that is capable of causing a disease.
6. Sign : In context to disease, sign can be defined as objective evidences of diseases that the physicians
look for in a patient in order to pinpoint a disease.
7. Symptom : Symptoms of a disease are the things that we feel as being ‘wrong’ with our health.
8. Vaccination : Vaccination refers to the administration of any vaccine against a specific disease in the
body.
9. Vector : Vector is an animal which carries parasite or pathogenic organisms to the host.

Assignment
14. Differentiate between infectious and non-infectious
SECTION-A diseases.
Subjective Type Questions : 15. How does AIDS virus spread?
1. Name the causal agent of tuberculosis. 16. A doctor/nurse is exposed to more sick people than
others in the community. Find out how she/he
2. When is world AIDS day celebrated?
avoids getting sick herself/himself.
3. What is the portal of entry for rabies virus?
17. Vaccines can be developed easily against bacterial
4. Can you fall sick if your friend is suffering from
diseases but not against viral diseases. Explain.
measles? Why?
18. What is the full form of AIDS? Explain the following
5. BCG vaccine is given for the prevention of which
disease? with reference to AIDS.
6. In case the number of pathogens is less, what (i) Symptoms

would be the effect on the manifestation of (ii) Preventive measures
disease?
19. Write about the symptoms and treatment of
7. Do we develop a sickness every time we are malaria.
exposed to a particular pathogen? Explain.
20. Identify the diseases :
8. Define immunity.
(i) Protozoan disease in which protozoan enters
9. What will be the outcome in case the disease-
through oral route.
fighting cells of our body are not successful?
10. Upon being infected for a second time, immune (ii) Respiratory diseases, caused by RNA virus,
system responds more quickly than the first time. first reported in China.
Why?
11. In which of the following cases do you think the SECTION-B
long term effects on your health are likely to be
most unpleasant? Objective Type Questions :
If you get pulmonary tuberculosis 1. Which of the following disease(s) are insect-borne?
If you get lice (a) Malaria
If you get acne, why? (b) Rabies
12. What precautions can you take in your school to (c) Tuberculosis
reduce the incidence of infectious diseases? (d) Common cold
13. What are the public health measures to prevent a (1) (a) & (d) (2) Only (a)
disease? Give three such measures. (3) (a) & (c) (4) (a), (b) & (c)
2. Tuberculosis is caused by 10. BCG vaccination is given for the prevention of
(1) Virus (2) Protozoan (1) Polio
(3) Bacteria (4) Fungus (2) Tuberculosis
3. Which of the following is the causal agent of (3) Tetanus

malaria?
(4) Anthrax
(1) Plasmodium
11. Which of the following are the five classes of
(2) Anopheles mosquito antibodies?
(3) Paramecium (1) IgA, IgB, IgC, IgD and IgE
(4) Leishmania (2) IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE and IgD
4. Which of the following is a non-communicable (3) IgP, IgU, IgH, IgM and IgL
disease?
(4) IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE and IgF
(1) Allergy (2) Malaria
12. Which one of the following is incorrect about
(3) Typhoid (4) Tuberculosis tuberculosis?
5. Which of the following diseases does not have a (1) It is caused by Diplococcus tuberculosis
vaccine?
(2) It commonly affects lungs
(1) Tuberculosis (2) Malaria
(3) Bacteria release tuberculin toxin
(3) Hepatitis B (4) AIDS
(4) Patient’s sputum contains blood
6. A newborn baby can already be suffering from a
viral disease, in case the mother is also infected. 13. Which of the following is a congenital disease?
Which of the following is such disease? (1) Down’s syndrome (2) Typhoid
(1) AIDS (2) Haemophilia (3) Anthrax (4) Tuberculosis
(3) Down’s syndrome (4) Both (1) & (3) 14. Medications like rifampicin, INH and pyrazinamide
7. The polio virus enters the body through are associated with
(1) Mouth (2) Skin (1) Tuberculosis (2) AIDS
(3) Eyes (4) Ears (3) Diarrhoea (4) Measles
8. The disease caused by hormonal imbalance is 15. NACO is associated with which disease?
(1) AIDS
(1) Diabetes
(2) Leprosy
(2) Anthrax
(3) Polio
(3) Malaria
(4) Tuberculosis
(4) Influenza
16. Fever, abdominal tenderness and rose coloured
9. Which of the following is a congenital defect? rash indicate the disease
(1) Haemophilia (1) Typhoid
(2) Malaria (2) Measles
(3) Polio (3) Tetanus
(4) Amoebiasis (4) Chicken pox
17. A bacterium enters human body through an open
wound and affects neuromuscular junctions.
SECTION-C
Which of the following is not true regarding the
Assertion & Reason Type Questions :
disease caused by the bacterium?
In the following questions, a statement of
(1) It can be treated by using antitoxin and assertion (A) is followed by a statement of reason
antibiotics (R).
(1) If both Assertion & Reason are true and the reason
(2) The bacterium is Clostridium tetani
is the correct explanation of the assertion, then
(3) The person develops fear of water mark (1).
(2) If both Assertion & Reason are true but the reason
(4) The person feels difficulty in moving jaw is not the correct explanation of the assertion, then
mark (2).
18. Find the incorrect pair
(3) If Assertion is true statement but Reason is false,
(1) Phylloquinone - Synthesis of then mark (3).
prothrombin (4) If both Assertion and Reason are false statements,
then mark (4).
(2) Tocopherol - Antisterility factor
1. A : Primary host of Ascaris is Culex.
(3) Retinol - Prevention of R : Sexual phase of Ascaris life cycle is
keratinization of completed in Culex.
epithelia
2. A : Causal agent of leprosy was discovered by
(4) Calciferol - Plays role in Koch.
collagen formation R : Leprosy can be treated with rifampicin only.
3. A : Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease.
19. Which one of the following sets of items in the
option (1) - (4) are incorrectly categorized with one R : Antibiotics like penicillin inhibit the formation of
exception in it? cell wall in bacteria.
4. A : Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease.
Items Category Exception R : Like other STDs, syphilis is also transmitted by
(1) Anopheles, Glossina, Mosquito vector Glossina sexual contact.
Culex
(2) Encephalitis, Mumps, Portal of entry Encephalitis
Pertussis
SECTION-D
(3) Anopheles, Aedes, Vector of Phlebotomus
Phlebotomus protozoan disease
Rifampicin, Treatment of Zidovudine Match the Columns Type Questions :
(4) Ethambutol, tuberculosis
Zidovudine 1. Match the following :
Column-I Column-II
20. Sheela has been fasting for a week now in which
a. Leishmania (i) Small pox vaccine
she does not eat salt. Which of the following
b. Jenner (ii) Flu
activities in her body is not affected by deficiency
of salt? c. HIV (iii) Viral disease
d. Air-borne disease (iv) Bacterial disease
(1) Formation of HCl in stomach
e. Tuberculosis (v) Protozoa
(2) Bones and teeth formation (1) a(v), b(i), c(iii), d(ii), e(iv)
(2) a(iv), b(i), c(iii), d(ii), e(v)
(3) Maintenance of salt water balance
(3) a(v), b(ii), c(iii), d(i), e(iv)
(4) Transmission of nerve impulse (4) a(v), b(iii), c(i), d(ii), e(iv)
2. Match the following : 3. Match the following :

Column-I Column-II Column-I Column-II
a. Insect (i) Taeniasis a. Phlebotomus (i) Dengue fever

b. Glossina (ii) Cholera
b. Helminth (ii) Colour blindness
c. Aedes (iii) Kala-azar
c. Genetic (iii) Malaria
d. Water (iv) Sleeping sickness
(1) a(iii), b(i), c(ii)
(1) a(i), b(ii), c(iii), d(iv)
(2) a(i), b(ii), c(iii)
(2) a(iv), b(ii), c(i), d(iii)
(3) a(ii), b(i), c(iii) (3) a(iii), b(iv), c(ii), d(i)
(4) a(iii), b(ii), c(i) (4) a(iii), b(iv), c(i), d(ii)


Why Do We Fall Ill

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Why Do We Fall Ill

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CHAPTER 4

Why Do We Fall ill? THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES

HEALTH AND ITS FAILURE

The significance of good health can be outlined as follows :

 Good health promotes the efficiency for doing work.

 It encourages happy and cheerful attitude.

 It allows a person to take initiative for betterment.

 It makes living a joyful experience.

Personal and Community Issues both Matter for Health

Various factors included in social environment are :

Distinctions between ‘Healthy’ and ‘Disease free’

Differences between healthy and disease-free state

1. It is a state of complete physical, mental 1. It is a state of absence of discomfort in

DISEASES AND THEIR CAUSES

Acute disease Chronic disease

(a) Infectious agents, mostly including disease-causing microorganisms.

Fig. 4 : Picture of Leishmania, the protozoan Fig. 5 : Picture of an adult roundworm

The various infectious agents are described below :

How do infectious diseases spread?

Pathogen Vector Disease

1. Plasmodium Anopheles mosquito Malaria

Fig. 6 : Common methods of transmission of diseases

Organ-specific and Tissue-specific Manifestations

There are two ways to treat an infectious disease :

(A) General ways of preventing infections :

Fig. 7 : Garbage accumulation enhances the chances of spread of diseases

Examples of Infectious Diseases

Fig. 8 : Typhoid causing bacteria (Salmonella typhi)

9. TAB vaccine is given for prevention of which disease?

II. Viral Diseases

Fig. 9 : Deformity caused by Polio

III. Protozoan Diseases

2. Explain how immune system of human body

4. State any two conditions essential for being free of SECTION-B

(2) Aedes mosquito (1) AIDS

(3) Anopheles mosquito (2) Sleeping sickness

(4) Culex mosquito (3) Leprosy

4. Causative agent of elephantiasis is a (4) Arthritis

(1) Both are caused by protozoans (3) Congenital disease

(2) Both are fungal diseases (4) None of these

(1) Vitamin pills (2) Anti-viral drugs (3) Ascariasis

(3) Interferons (4) Antibiotics (4) Dengue fever

(1) Cholera (2) Typhoid (1) Common cold (2) Asthma

(1) Chicken pox (2) Polio (1) Leprosy – Bacterial infection

(3) Hepatitis B (4) Amoebic dysentery (2) AIDS – Bacterial infection

z Personal and Community Issues both Matter

Factors included in social environment are: z Diseases and their Causes

DISEASES AND THEIR CAUSE

CHRONIC DISEASES AND POOR HEALTH

IgA - (Secretory Antibody)

IgE - Mediator in allergic reactions it activate histamine secreting cells.

IgM - It is the one that first activates in an initial attack of Antigen.

IgD - It has role in activating and suppressing lymphocyte activity.

Important vaccines for children

(2) Spreading from a diseased person to a healthy person

(3) Transmitted through sexual contact

(4) Caused by a pathogen

2. Which of the following diseases is transmitted by animal bite?

3. A communicable disease is caused by

(1) Metabolic disorder

(2) Deficiency of proteins

(4) Hormonal imbalance

Good health promotes the efficiency for doing work.

It encourages happy and cheerful attitude.

It allows a person to take initiative for betterment.

It makes living a joyful experience.

December 1 is World AIDS Day.