Diseases and First Aid

Malaria

Reason — Malaria is caused by Plasmodium protozoan that is transmitted by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito.
Typhoid spreads through contaminated food and water. Cholera spreads through contaminated water and food. Jaundice is a condition caused by liver problems or infections like hepatitis.

Virus

Reason — Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus called Aedes aegypti mosquito. Protozoan cause Malaria. Worm cause Filariasis. Fungus cause Ringworm.

Edward Jenner

Reason — The idea of vaccination was conceived by Edward Jenner (1749 - 1823).

Penicillin

Reason — Morphine, Cocaine, and Heroin are psychotropic drug. But, Penicillin is an antibiotic.
Morphine can affect the brain and cause addiction. Cocaine is a stimulant drug affecting the central nervous system. Heroin narcotic drug derived from morphine.

Measles

Reason — Cancer, heart attack, and allergy are non-communicable diseases whereas measles is a communicable disease.
Cancer does not spread from one person to another. Heart attack is caused by blockage of blood supply to the heart. Allergy is caused by hypersensitivity to substances like dust or pollen.

Only P

Reason — The correct match should be:
Salk’s vaccine was developed for poliomyelitis (polio), not typhoid.
BCG vaccine contains live weakened bacteria. Salk polio vaccine is prepared using killed (inactivated) poliovirus.

Tie a sling to rest the arm on it.

Reason — In the given case, Mohit should be laid down comfortably, and the fractured arm should be immobilized. We should tie a sling upon which the arm can rest.
Baking soda is not used for fractures. Hot water should not be applied immediately after a fracture. Cold compress is usually preferred initially to reduce swelling.

Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation — A is true as infectious diseases spread from an infected person to a healthy person by the entry of microorganisms/ pathogens.
R is true as they spread through air, water, food, physical contact, cuts, sexual contact and from insects like mosquitoes, flies, etc.

Therefore, Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A is the correct option.

A is false and R is true.

Explanation — A is false as dengue is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the dengue virus.
R is true as it is spread by a mosquito called Aedes aegypti. Here, the dengue virus is the agent/pathogen, and mosquito Aedes aegypti is the disease causing vector.

Therefore, A is false and R is true is the correct option.

A is false but R is true.

Explanation — A is false as HIV is a viral disease, not a fungal disease. It weakens the immune system by attacking WBCs. It is transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusion, and from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
R is true as AIDS is caused by the HIV virus.

Therefore, A is false but R is true is the correct option.

A is false and R is true.

Explanation — A is false as diseases like cowpox, smallpox, chickenpox are not caused by the same virus. Cowpox virus and smallpox viruses are similar but not the same. Chickenpox is also caused by a different virus.
R is true as The vaccine for smallpox was historically prepared using a weakened form of the cowpox virus. This discovery was made by Edward Jenner.

Therefore, A is false and R is true is the correct option.

(a) AIDS

(b) Malaria

(c) Malaria

(d) Dengue fever, Chikungunya

(e) Tuberculosis

(a) AIDS - Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome

(b) HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus

(c) WBCs - White Blood Cells

(d) BCG - Bacillus Calmette-Guerin

(e) TAB - Typhoid-paratyphoid A and B

The two types of diseases on the basis of their spread are:

1. Communicable Diseases
2. Non-communicable Diseases

Four ways of indirect methods by which infectious diseases can spread are:

1. Touching and sharing items used by the infected person
2. Contaminated food and water or drink
3. Vectors
4. Droplets

The three diseases caused by viruses are:

1. Common Cold
2. Influenza (The Flu)
3. HIV/AIDS

The three diseases in which germs are carried by mosquitoes are:

1. Malaria
2. Dengue Fever
3. Chikungunya

The four methods by which vaccines can be prepared are:

1. Using killed germs.
2. Using living weakened germs.
3. Using fully virulent living germs.
4. Using Toxoids

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Public hygiene refers to the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a community. It involves proper disposal of human excreta and domestic wastes.

A vaccine is the germ or germ substance introduced into the body to develop resistance against a particular disease.

Toxoids are extracts of toxins secreted by bacteria and these poisons are made harmless by the addition of formalin to retain the capacity to produce antibodies.

First aid is the immediate care or help given to a patient at the time of a medical emergency before he or she is taken to a doctor.

Influenza, Tuberculosis

Diabetes, heart attack

AIDS, Chickenpox

Cholera, Typhoid

Mosquitoes, Houseflies

Non communicable diseases are those which are not caused by any germ, therefore these diseases cannot spread from an infected person to a healthy person (i.e., they are non transmissible). These may be caused due to improper functioning of the body organs. Example : diabetes, heart attack, etc.

Communicable diseases are those diseases which spread from an infected person to a healthy person by the entry of microorganisms or pathogens. These diseases are caused by the germs known as pathogens. Example: Chicken pox, Malaria, Typhoid, etc.

We can control the spreading of diseases by mosquitoes and houseflies by using repellents, throwing garbage in covered bins, avoiding stagnation of water and checking the breeding of insects.

Public hygiene involves proper disposal of human excreta and domestic wastes. It is equally important as personal hygiene for the following reasons:

1. Sewage should be chemically treated first before being released into the water bodies to avoid water-borne diseases. There should be proper sewage lines connected to sewage treatment plants.
2. A healthy environment should be maintained by disposing garbage in covered bins to prevent breeding of flies, avoiding stagnation of water to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.
3. Contamination of drinking water with faeces (animal or human excreta) should be prevented as it is a major cause of diseases.

Vaccination is the practice of artificially introducing germs or germ substances into the body for developing resistance to particular diseases. The material introduced into the body is called the vaccine. Usually, the vaccine is introduced into the body by injection and sometimes orally.
A vaccine can be prepared by any one of the following four methods —

1. Using killed germs — e.g. TAB vaccine for typhoid.
2. Using living weakened germs — e.g. the vaccine for measles.
3. Using fully virulent living germs — e.g. the vaccine for smallpox.
4. Using Toxoids — e.g. the vaccines used for diphtheria and tetanus.

First aid for burns depends on the degree of burns.
In the case of superficial burns, pour cold water over the burnt area. Then dry that portion and cover with sterile dressing.
In the case of deep burns, never use water, and cover the injured part with dressing.
In the case of chemical burns, wash with running water for 10 minutes and then cover with dressing.

(a) Disease — Disease is a departure from normal health through structural or functional disorders of the body. There are two major categories of diseases — Communicable or infectious diseases and Non-communicable or non-infectious diseases.

(b) Immunization — Immunization is an artificial way of achieving protection from infections by the introduction of dead or weakened germs into one's body. Immunization is a process by which the body of an individual is made resistant to a specific disease by vaccination.

(c) Pathogen — Communicable diseases are caused due to microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, worms and protozoa. The disease causing germs are called pathogens. Pathogens spread from one person to other through air, water, food, physical contact, cuts, sexual contact and from insects like mosquitoes, flies, etc.

(d) AIDS — AIDS stands for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. It is caused by the HIV virus. It weakens the immunity or self defence mechanism of the human body. AIDS makes the infected person prone to many other infectious diseases. It spreads through sexual contact, blood transfusion and infected syringes.

(e) Vaccination — Vaccination is the practice of artificially introducing germs or germ substances into the body for developing resistance to particular diseases. The material introduced into the body is called the vaccine. When exposed to vaccines, the body makes antibodies and more or less permanent protection from infection is achieved.

(f) Vector — Vectors are those organisms (e.g., house flies, mosquitoes, etc.) which carry germs from a source of infection but themselves do not get the infection. For example, mosquitoes while feeding on the blood of a malaria patient, gain the germs in their bodies, and get them transferred in the blood stream of a healthy person whom they bite next.

CLUES ACROSS (1-6)

1. VIRUS

2. LICE

3. BCG

4. COUGH

5. FLIES

6. AIDS

CLUES DOWN (7-11)

7. VACCINE

8. JAUNDICE

9. LUNG

10. RABIES

11. MOUTH

(a) Two diseases spread by mosquitoes during the monsoon and post-monsoon period are dengue and malaria.

(b) The mosquito acts as a vector and not a pathogen.
A vector is an organism that carries disease-causing germs from one person to another. The mosquito only transmits the germs; it does not itself cause the disease.

(c) Type of microorganism responsible for the diseases:

(i) Dengue fever — caused by a virus
(ii) Malaria — caused by a protozoan called Plasmodium

(d) One place at home where stagnant water may collect is water cooler.