Principles of Disease Control and Prevention

PRINCIPLES OF DISEASE
CONTROL AND PREVENTION
By Okello Innocent Lambert

Introduction:
• Prevention it refers to measures that are applied to prevent the
occurrence of a disease whereas control refers to measures that are
applied to prevent transmission after the disease has occurred.
• Most of the measures for prevention and control of communicable
diseases are relatively easy and can be applied using the community’s
own resources.
• You have an important role in educating the public to apply these
measures effectively.
Communicable diseases can be controlled and prevented
by adequate measures which involve:
• 1. DIAGNOSIS:
• It is first step in the control of a disease. The disease should be diagnosed
and treated immediately and effectively. This will prevent the spread of
an infection.
• 2. NOTIFICATION / REPORTING:
• As soon as a disease is detected, it should be notified immediately to the
local health authority. This helps in taking immediate preventive
measures to control the spread of the disease.
• Cases of communicable diseases should be reported to a nearby health
Centre or District Health Office periodically, using the national
surveillance guidelines.
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• 3. ISOLATION:
• The infected patient must be isolated in hospital or at home, if
hospitalization is not possible. The period of isolation depends on the period
of communicability of the disease.
• Isolation of the infected patient prevents the spread of infection.
• Following detection of an infectious disease, you may need to separate
patients from others to prevent transmission to healthy people.
• This is called isolation. It is not indicated for every infection, but it is
important to isolate people with highly severe and easily transmitted
diseases.
• For example, an adult case of active pulmonary tuberculosis (‘pulmonary’
means in the lungs) should be kept in isolation in the first two weeks of the
intensive phase of treatment. The isolation
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period lasts until the risk of transmission from the infected
person has reduced or stopped. The period and degree of
isolation differs between different diseases.
4. TREATMENT:
• Treatment should be given to the infected patient and also
to the carrier of the infection. Sometimes all the people in
the community are treated, even if they do not have the
disease. These measures effectively prevent the spread of
infection.
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5. QUARANTINE:
• It means isolation of healthy and normal persons till the
incubation period of a disease is over.
• These healthy persons might have come in contact with
the disease without actually suffering from it.
• So quarantine is necessary to prevent the spread of
infection from these persons to others who have not
been exposed to the disease.
• Quarantine is necessary for international travellers who
have the possibility of carrying infections.
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6. INVESTIGATION (SURVEILLANCE):
• The health authorities should conduct field investigation of infected
person and also infected areas.
• Suspected and also infected cases must be confirmed by laboratory tests.
7. DISINFECTION:
• Disinfection of the excreta and articles (formites) used by the patient will
prevent the spread of infection.
• Disinfection must be done both when the patient is suffering from the
disease and after recovery or death.
• Disinfection can be done using alcohol, chlorine, iodine at the domestic
and public level.
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8. STERILISATION
• Contaminated medical instruments and clothing can be
sterilised, disinfected or properly disposed of.
• This involves destruction of all forms of micro-organisms
by physical heat, irradiation, gas or chemical treatment.
• The difference between disinfection and sterilization is
that disinfection kills most, but not all, micro-organisms.
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• 9. BLOCKING OF TRANSMISSION:
• Most of the diseases spread through water, air and insect. So
adequate measures should be taken to prevent the spread of
infection through these channels.
• i) Water borne infections can be prevented by boiling water and
also milk.
• ii) Air bone infections can be prevented by wearing masks,
isolating the patient in a separate room, dust control, good
ventilation and disinfection of air.
• iii) Insect born diseases can be prevented by using suitable
insecticides.
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10. IMMUNISATION:
• It is a very effective and easy method by which communicable
diseases can be prevented.
• The diseases which can be effectively controlled by
immunization are small pox, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, whooping
cough, tetanus, tuberculosis and measles etc.
11. HEALTH EDUCATION:
• The public should be taught about the importance of
maintaining a clean environment, immunization etc.
• It involves the responsibility of paramedical persons and the co-
operation of the public.
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• 12. SCREENING
• Screening refers to the detection of an infection in an individual who
does not show any signs or symptoms of the disease.
• It is carried out using specific tests called screening tests.
• Screening will help you to detect an infection early and organise
appropriate treatment so as to reduce complications and prevent
transmission to others.
• An example of screening that may be familiar to you is screening the
blood of pregnant women for HIV infection.
• 13. MAINTAINING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
• Proper nutrition and exercise improves a person’s health status, supports
the effective functioning of their immune system, and increases
resistance to infection.
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• 14. LIMITING EXPOSURE TO RESERVOIRS OF INFECTION.
• Measures taken to decrease contact with reservoirs of infection include:
• Condom use to prevent transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted
infections (STIs).
• Use of insecticide treated nets (ITNs) over the bed at night, insect repellants and
wearing protective clothing to prevent diseases transmitted by insect vectors.
• Wearing surgical or very clean gloves and clean protective clothing while
examining patients, particularly if they have wounds, or the examination involves
the genital area.
• Keeping personal hygiene, like taking a daily bath and washing your hands
frequently. Hand washing with soap and water is the simplest and one of the
most effective ways to prevent transmission of many communicable diseases

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PRINCIPLES OF DISEASE

CONTROL AND PREVENTION

By Okello Innocent Lambert

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