Infectious Disease
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Definition
Infection: implies that the agent has achieved entry and beg
develop or multiply, whether or not the process leads to dis
nfectious disease (Communicable disease) : is an illness due
specific infectious agent or its toxic products that arises thr
transmission of that agent or its products from an infected
person, animal or reservoir to a susceptible host,
• either directly or indirectly through an intermediate plant
animal host, vector or inanimate environment.
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Major components of the infectious disease proce
1. Agent
2. Reservoir
3. Portal of exit
4. Modes of transmission
5. Portal of entry
6. Susceptible host
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Chain of Infection
A model to conceptualize the transmission of a
communicable disease from its source to a susceptible hos
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Chain of Infection…
Pathogen
• is the disease causing agent
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Chain of Infection…
Pathogen
Reservoir • is the habitat in which an infectious
agent normally lives & grows
• Human: symptomatic or asymptomatic
• Animal: called zoonoses
• Environmental: plants, soil, and water
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Chain of Infection…
A person who does not have apparent clinical disease, but
potential source of infection to other people is called a Carr
Carriers may be classified as:
ncubatory carriers (transmitting infection by shedding the a
efore the onset of clinical manifestations), or
• Convalescent carriers (transmitting infection after the tim
recovery from the disease).
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Chain of Infection…
Asymptomatic carriers: Transmitting the disease without
howing manifestations of the disease.
Example: Polio, Amoebiasis
Chronic carriers: Transmitting the disease for a long peri
indefinite transmission.
Example: Viral Hepatitis, Typhoid fever.
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Chain of Infection…
Pathogen Reservoir Portal - is the path by which an
of exit
agent
leaves the source host
ossible portals of exit include all body secretions and discha
ucus, saliva, tears, breast milk, vaginal and cervical dischar
xcretions (feces and urine), blood, and tissues (including the
acenta).
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Chain of Infection…
Portal Trans- • how pathogens
Pathogen
Reservoir of exit are passed
mission
Modes of Transmission
Direct
- Direct contact
- Droplet
spread
- Airborne
Indirect
- Vehicleborne
- Vectorborne
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Chain of Infection…
Pathogen Portal
Trans- Portal
Reservoir of exit
mission of entry
• Is the site where an
infectious agent enters a
susceptible host
Mucosa(nasal, respiratory, vaginal…)
Injury site
Skin
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Chain of Infection…
Pathogen Portal
Trans- Portal New
Reservoir of exit
mission of entry Host
• Final link is
a susceptible host
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Chain of Infection…
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Time course of an infectious disease
Latent period: time interval from infection to developmen
infectious
Infectious period: time during which the host can infec
another host.
Incubation period: time from infection to development
symptomatic disease.
Symptomatic period: period in which symptoms of the dis
are present.
Time line of infection and disease
Dynamics of
Infectiousness
Time of
infection -Non infection
- removed
Latent Infectious - dead
Susceptible period period - recovered
Time
-Non diseased
Dynamics of -dead
disease -recovered
Incubation Symptomatic - immune
Susceptible period period - carrier
Time
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Disease transmission probability
The transmission probability is the probability that, given th
contact between an infective source and a susceptible ho
successful transfer of the infective agent will occur so that
susceptible host become infected.
Transmission probability, helps understanding of the dynam
of infection and effects of intervention.
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Transmission probability…
Transmission of infectious agent depends on:-
Generation time: the time between the receipt of infe
by a host and maximum communicability of disease.
• In general the generation time is roughly equivalent to th
incubation period
• However, the 2 terms are not identical.
Herd immunity: community resistance to disease
spread infectious agent as result of immunity gained.
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Thank You!!!
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