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Health and Hygiene

Std VIII

Biology notes

Health is defined As a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not
merely an absence of disease.

Features of a healthy human being --a clear skin, bright, clear eyes, a body neither too fat nor
too thin, fresh breath, good appetite, sound sleep, regular activity of bladder and bowels, coordinated
body movements.

Disease is a departure from normal health through structural or functional disorder of the body.

Categories of diseases----I.Non-communicable or non-infectious diseases Diseases which cannot


spread from one person to another. They are not caused by any germs. Caused due to improper
functioning of the body organs.
Eg- Diabetes, heart attack, etc.
II. Communicable or infectious diseases------These diseases are caused by germs (pathogens). Can
spread from one person to another. Eg- malaria, chicken pox.

Types of non-communicable diseases


1. Metabolic diseases (Organic diseases)
Caused due to malfunctioning of various body organs. Eg i) Diabetes caused due to insufficient
insulin production by pancreas, sugar passes out in urine.
ii) Heart diseases like heart attack caused due to blockage of blood supply to heart muscles.
2. Genetic diseases ( congenital diseases )
Such diseases develop due to defects in the genes during embryonic development.
Egi) Haemophilia Blood clot formation is slow.
ii)Thalassemia Defective haemoglobin of RBC.- need blood transfusion regularly.
3. Allergy- It is the reaction of a body to a particular substance (allergen).

Substances which cause allergic reactions in the body are called Allergens.
Common allergens are dust, pollens, medicines, cosmetics, etc.
Asthma, Diarrohea, Vomiting, Nausea, etc could be the allergic reactions.

4. Dietary deficiency diseases


i) A diet lacking in nutrients such as proteins can cause Kwashiorkar and Marasmus.
ii) Vitamin deficiency diseases Night blindness, Scurvy, Pellagra.
iii) Mineral deficiency diseases Anaemia, Goitre, etc
5. Cancer Uncontrolled growth or body cells due to smoking, tobacco chewing, addictive drugs,
radiation. Agents causing cancer are called Carcinogens.
6. Degenerative diseases With age deterioration of structure and function of body organs. EgCataract, Arthritis, etc
7. Diseases caused due to physical and chemical agents Eg- Sunburn, heat stroke-physical agents.
Chemical agents are like mercury, lead, snake bite, etc
8. Mental illness--Depression

Types of Communicable or Infectious diseases

Caused due to bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa.


Disease causing germs are called pathogens.
Infectious diseases can spread through contaminated food, air, cuts on skin, mosquitoes, flies,
etc.

I DISEASES CAUSED BY VIRUSES


A POLIOMYELITIS--Causes paralysis of the legs. Spreads through discharge from the nose and throat
and by faecal matter.
B RABIES / HYDROPHOBIA --Disease caused by the bite of a rabid dog, fox or other animal. It affects
central nervous system. Pet dogs must be immunized by a vaccine.
C AIDS-[ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME]--It is caused due to a virus HIV (HUMAN
IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS).
It weakens the immunity of the human body.
Spreads through sexual contact, blood transfusion and infected syringes. Children get through the
infected mothers blood during pregnancy.
II DISEASES CAUSED DUE TO BACTERIA
A TUBERCULOSIS
Causative Organism- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Symptoms- Affects the lungs although other parts of the body may also be affected.

Mode of transmission-- Spreads by sputum from an infected person.

B. TETANUSCausative Organism-- Clostridium tetani


Symptom - The jaws get locked
Mode of transmission-- Germs enter through unclean cuts in the body.
III DISEASES CAUSED BY PROTOZOA
A. MALARIA
Causative organism-Plasmodium
Symptom-Chill and high fever
Mode of Transmission-Enters the human body through the bite of female Anopheles mosquito
B. AMOEBIASIS
Causative organism-Entamoeba
Symptom-Diarrhoea with gripping pain, discharge of mucus, in acute condition blood oozes out.
Mode of transmission-Contamination of food by flies.
IV DISEASES CAUSED BY WORMS
A... ASCARIASIS
Causative Organism Ascaris
Mode of Transmission--Spreads due to unhygienic conditions.
B... TAENIASIS
Causative organismTapeworm
Parasite is found in the intestine & absorbs digested food.
Mode of transmission-- Spreads by eating improperly cooked pork.

IV DISEASES CAUSED BY FUNGUS AND MOLDS


A... RING WORM
Causative organism-- Fungus
Symptom-- Ring shaped patches on the skin. Even affects the hair and nails.
MODE OF TRANSMISSION--Spreads through contaminated clothes and articles.
B... ATHLETES FOOT
Causative organism- Fungus
Symptom- Affects the skin of the foot particularly between toes

Spread of communicable diseases


To continue their race, the pathogens try to come out of the body of an infected person and
reach out to more hosts for their survival.
Methods of transmission of pathogens----

DIRECT METHOD --Infection can spread through direct contact with an infected person.
Examples----chicken pox , measles , fungal infection.

INDIRECT METHOD --

Touching and sharing items used by infected person-

Use of same towel , handkerchief , bed , utensils which were used by


the patient.

Example----TB , Common cold

Contaminated food and drink-

Vegetables and fruits , washed improperly or washed with


contaminated water , cause intestinal diseases

The germs multiply in the alimentary canal and cause diseases

Vectors and Carriers-

Vectors are those organisms which carry germs from a source of


infection but themselves do not get the infection.

Example---House flies, Mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes while feeding on the blood of a malaria patient get the


germs in their bodies, and get them transferred in the bloodstream of a
healthy person whom they bite.

House flies carry germs from garbage and sewage and deposit them on
food . Consumption of such contaminated food leads to diseases.

Air-

Many viral and bacterial respiratory tract diseases are transmitted through air .

Example---germs of TB pass by coughing or sneezing. These fine droplets remain


suspended in air. The healthy individual gets infected by inhaling the same air.

Common cold , measles , chicken pox , diphtheria spread in this way.

Vaccination is the practice of artificially introducing germs or germ substances into the body for
developing resistance to a particular disease.

Scientifically this practice is called prophylaxis.

Vaccine--The germs or germ substances introduced into the body is called vaccine.

Example-TAB vaccine for Typhoid , BCG for Tuberculosis , Salks vaccine for
Poliomyelitis.

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