Health and Disease

Disease
What is a disease?

A disease is anypathologiccondition that impairs the

normal functioning of an organ, part, structure or system of
the body resulting in extreme, pain, dysfunction, distress,
or death.
It is usually associated withsigns and symptoms.
Diseases may originate from the effects of genetic or
developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional
deficiency or imbalance, toxicity or unfavorable
environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

Types of Diseases

Chronic disease
A Chronic disease is one that persists for a long
time. It is one lasting 3 months or more,
Chronic diseases generally cannot be prevented by
vaccines or cured by medication
Examples of chronic disease include arthritis,
cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks
andstroke, cancer such as breastand colon
cancer, diabetes, epilepsy and seizures, obesity,
and oral health problems.
They are the leading causes of disability and death
in New York State and throughout the United States.

Infectious disease

An infectious disease is one that is caused by another

organism that enters the body and reproduces there. These
organisms are called pathogens.
Infectious diseases are caused by pathogens such
asviruses, bacteria, fungi, protoctists,
wormsandinsects, which can be transmitted from person
to person. This may be via normal social contact - for
example,chicken pox, or via food and water, sexual
contact or an animal bite.
Carriers are people who can transmit the pathogen but do
not have the disease symptoms.
Examples of infectious diseases include common cold
caused by a virus , cholera caused by a bacterium, malaria
caused by a single-celled protoctist.

Degenerative disease
A degenerative disease is one that results from the gradual loss of
function of some part of the body.
These diseases are characterized by agradual loss of function,
in one or several organs or tissues.
In old age, this is often the result of the failure of the bodies repair
mechanisms - for example, loss of mobility due to worn joints.
However, degenerative diseases can strike in ones youth or middle
age. They may be the result of poor nutrition in childhood or due to
the immune system attacking the bodies, own cells.
There are three main categories:
Diseases of skeletal, muscular and nervous tissues - for
example,osteoarthritis.
Cardiovascular diseases of the circulatory system - for
example,coronary heart disease.
Cancers.

Inherited disease

An inherited disease is one that is caused by the

combination of alleles that a person inherits from their
parents.
These diseases are caused bygenesand can therefore be
passed from parent to child. They are also sometimes
calledgenetic diseasesordisorders.
Examples of inherited disease include sickle cell anemia,
cystic fibrosis and hemophilia.

Deficiency disease

A deficiency disease is one that results from the lack of a

particular nutrient in the diet. For example, scurvy caused
by a lack of vitamin c, because not enough collagen can be
made in the body.
Lack of iron can cause anemia, because not enough
haemoglobin can be synthesized.
These arenutritionaldiseases caused by an inadequate or
unbalanced diet. One or more essential nutrient is missing
or in short supply - for example, a shortage of Vitamin C
causesscurvy.

Self inflicted disease

Self inflicted disease are those that can be considered to

have been caused by a persons own choices about their
lifestyle.
For example, a person who smokes cigarettes greatly
increases their chance of developing numerous diseases
such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart disease, lung
cancer and many other cancers.

HIV and Aids

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

This disease is caused by the human immune-deficiency
virus, usually known as HIV/ AIDS
The symptoms of HIV vary, depending on the individual and
what stage of the disease you are in.

EARLY STAGE OF HIV: SYMPTOMS

HIV infection comes in three stages. The first stage is called

acute infection or seroconversion, and it typically happens
within two to six weeks after exposure or becoming
infected.
Within 2-4 weeks after HIV infection, persons may
experience flu like symptoms, this is acute retroviral
syndrome (ARS) or primary HIV infection, and it is the
bodys natural response to the HIV infection. not everyone
who is infected with HIV develops ARS
Other symptoms include:
Fever (this is the most common symptom) Headache
Diarrhea
Nausea and vomiting

Signs and symptoms contd

Fatigue
Aching muscles
Sore throat
Red rash that does notitch, it is usually on the
torso.
Swollen glands
These symptoms can last anywhere from a few
days to several weeks. Many people who are
infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all
for 10 years or more.

The Period Without Symptoms of HIV

- the Second Stage

After the first seroconversion period or the early stage of HIV infection ,
the immune system loses the battle with HIV and symptoms go away.
This stage is known as clinical latency stage. Latency means a period
where a virus is living or developing in a person without producing
symptoms. Also called theasymptomatic periodasymptomatic HIV
infection or chronic HIV infection. This is when people may not know
they are infected and can pass HIV on to others. This period can last 10 or
more years.
During the clinical latency stage, the HIV virus reproduces at very low
levels, although it is still active. During this period without symptoms, HIV
is slowly killing the CD4 T-cells and destroying the immune system. Blood
tests during this time can reveal the number of these CD4 T-cells.
On average, a person has a CD4 T-cell count between 450 and 1,400 cells
per micro liter. This number changes constantly, depending on a person's
state of health. For an HIV-infected person, the number of CD4 T-cells
steadily drops, making them vulnerable to other infections - and in danger
of developing AIDS.

HIV Infection and AIDS - the Third Stage

An HIV infection will eventually weaken your immune

system if not addressed with medication such
(antiretroviral therapy). The onset of symptoms signals the
transition from the clinical latency stage to AIDS (Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome).
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the
advanced stage of HIV infection. When the CD4 T-cell
number drops below 200, people are diagnosed with AIDS.
Some people don't know they were infected with HIV, and
only discover their HIV infection after experiencing some of
these HIV-related symptoms:
Being tired all of the time
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck or groin
Fever lasting for more than 10 days.

Night sweats
Unexplained weight loss
Purplish spots on the skin that don't go away
Shortness of breath
Severe, long-lasting diarrhea
Yeast infections in the mouth, throat, or vagina
Easy bruising or unexplained bleeding
Rapid weight loss
Recurring fever or profuse night sweats
Extreme and unexplained tiredness
Prolonged swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck
Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
Sores of the mouth, anus, or genitals
Pneumonia
Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside
the mouth, nose, or eyelids
Memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders

Treatment

Antiviral drugs to delay onset of opportunistic infections,

e.g. AZT, DDI, protease inhibitors.
Drugs to enhance the immune system.
Drugs to treat symptoms of opportunistic infections
No known cure

Methods of Control

Treat all cases

Keep to one sexual partner
Use condoms
Trace all sexual contacts of infected persons
Do not use intravenous drugs
Test all human products to be given
intravenously for the AIDS virus, e.g. whole
blood, plasma.
No known vaccine

Social Impacts
People with aids are often stigmatized and discriminated
against. Discrimination is caused by a lack of understanding of
HIV, how it is spread, lack of access to treatment, irresponsible
media coverage of the epidemic, the fact that AIDS has no
cure, and already existing prejudices related to sexuality,
disease, drug use, and death.
Discrimination results when stigmatization is acted upon and
can take many forms such as:
-Lack of access to equal health care
-Denial of equal opportunities for employment
-Denial of education to HIV positive children
-Detention of HIV infected persons
Stigma and discrimination causes the epidemic to spread in
different ways. Which includes ways such as:

Physical impacts
The physical effects of AIDS intensify as the infection progresses.
Immune System
Once the CD4 T-cell count becomes low enough, there is an increased susceptibility to
opportunistic infections, which are harmless in healthy individuals. Examples of these kinds
of infections include histoplasmosis, mycobacteria, pneumonia, toxoplasmosis and
yeast
Gastrointestinal Tract
Patients may have a poor appetite, which leads to rapid weight loss, and/or diarrhea, which
can lead to dehydration. These symptoms make daily life difficult for the patient and lead to
a sickly appearance. Some gastrointestinal symptoms can be side effects from HIVmedications and not the virus itself.
Respiratory System
The physical effects of HIV and AIDS on the respiratory system can be quite serious. The
increased susceptibility to infections, including bacterial pneumonia can lead to severe illness
or death. Symptoms of these infections include coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing.
Skin
Rashes or red blotches might appear on the skin. While rashes are more an annoyance than a
danger to the patient, other skin lesions can be a sign of a serious condition. Unfortunately,
HIV-infected patients are more susceptible to rare skin cancers, such as Kaposi's sarcoma.
Therefore, the appearance of skin lesions should be taken very seriously.

Cancer

Cancer is a group of diseases that can cause almost any

sign or symptom. The signs and symptoms will depend on
where the cancer is, how big it is, and how much it affects
the organs or tissues. If a cancer has spread
(metastasized), signs or symptoms may appear in different
parts of the body.
As a cancer grows, it can begin to push on nearby organs,
blood vessels, and nerves. This pressure causes some of
the signs and symptoms of cancer. If the cancer is in a
critical area, such as certain parts of the brain, even the
smallest tumor can cause symptoms.
But sometimes cancer starts in places where it wont cause
any signs or symptoms until it has grown quite large.
Cancers of the pancreas, for example, usually dont cause
symptoms until they grow large enough to press on nearby

General symptoms of
cancer :

Unexplained weight loss

Fever
Fatigue
Pain
Skin changes
Darker looking skin
(hyperpigmentation)
Yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice)

Signs and symptoms of certain cancers

Along with the general symptoms, you should watch for
certain other common signs and symptoms that could
suggest cancer. Again, there may be other causes for each
of these, but its important to see a doctor about them as
soon as possible especially if theres no other cause you
can identify, the problem lasts a long time, or it gets worse
over time.
Change in bowel habits or bladder function may be a sign
of colon cancer or could be related to bladder or prostate
cancer.
Sores that do not heal
Skin cancers oral cancer.
White patches inside the mouth or white spots on the
tongue
leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a pre-cancerous area thats
caused by frequent irritation.

Unusual bleeding or discharge- lung cancer. colon or rectal

cancer, cancer of the cervix or the endometrium (lining of
the uterus of bladder or kidney cancer of the breast.
Thickening or lump in the breast or other parts of the bodybreast, testicle, lymph nodes (glands), and the soft tissues
of the body
Indigestion or trouble swallowing may be signs of cancer of
the esophagus (the swallowing tube that goes to the
stomach), stomach, or pharynx (throat
Recent change in a wart or mole or any new skin change
Nagging cough or hoarseness
lung cancer of the larynx (voice box) or thyroid gland.
Reddened skin (erythema)
Itching (pruritis)
Excessive hair growth

Treatment
Surgery
Surgery can be used to diagnose, treat, or even help prevent cancer in some cases. Most
people with cancer will have some type of surgery. It often offers the greatest chance for cure,
especially if the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (chemo) is the use of medicines or drugs to treat cancer. The thought of having
chemotherapy frightens many people. But knowing what chemotherapy is, how it works, and what
to expect can often help calm your fears. It can also give you a better sense of control over your
cancer treatment.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy particles or waves to destroy or damage cancer cells. It is
one of the most common treatments for cancer, either by itself or along with other forms of
treatment.
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy is a newer type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to
more precisely identify and attack cancer cells, usually while doing little damage to normal cells..
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is treatment that uses your body's own immune system to help fight cancer

Physical and social impacts of

cancer
BODY IMAGE AND SELF-ESTEEM
Cancer or its treatment often affects
your the bodys appearance. It may
cause self-consciouness and low self
esteem.
DEPRESSION
FEAR OF RECURRENCE
GRIEF

Diabetes
Individuals can experience differentsigns and symptoms of diabetes, and sometimes
there may be no signs.
Signs and symthoms
Some of the signs commonly experienced include:
Frequent urination
Excessive thirst
Increased hunger
Weight loss
Tiredness
Lack of interest and concentration
A tingling sensation or numbness in the hands or feet
Blurred vision
Frequent infections
Slow-healing wounds
Vomiting and stomach pain (often mistaken as the flu)
The development of type 1 diabetes is usually sudden and dramatic while the symptoms
can often be mild or absent in people with type 2 diabetes, making this type of diabetes
hard to detect.
If you show these signs and symptoms, consult a health professional.

Treatment

Social impacts
Social Effects
Trying to follow a diabetic diet can be trying in social
situations. Family or friends may appear offended by
the person who will not eat a piece of homemade pie
or other dessert. It can be difficult to avoid
overindulging in the presence of people who eat large
quantities of food. This can be especially troublesome
for children and teens. People with diabetes may have
to refrain from some group activities due to the need
to monitor or maintain their blood sugar, leading to
stigmatization or group isolation

Physical impacts
Physical Effects
Diabetes causes hyperglycemia, which is also known as high blood sugar.
If uncontrolled, it can lead to coma and death. High blood sugar causes
damage to most organs of the body. Hyperglycemia can lead to kidney
damage and subsequent renal failure. It can also cause diabetic
retinopathy and blindness. People with diabetes are at increased risk of
glaucoma and cataracts. Diabetes leads to increased problems with teeth
and gums.Diabetes damages the nerves of the body and may lead to
numbness and tingling in the extremities, erectile dysfunction, muscle
wasting, vomiting and faintness upon standing. The skin of people with
diabetes is slow to heal, and they must be diligent with skin care,
especially foot care. Poor management of the feet can lead to
infection,.gangrene and amputation.
People with diabetes frequently have heart disease, hypertension and high
cholesterol. They are at increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Obesity
is a common factor in all of these conditions.Other physical effects of
diabetes include;increased thirst, frequent urination and weight loss

Methods of control
Control of crbohydrate intake- consume foods
containing polysaccharides raather than
simple sugARS.
Reduce obesity (type 11)
Tablets to lower bllood glucose levels (type11)
Daily injections of insulin (type 1)
Regular but moderae excerise to increase
muscular activity thereby reducing blood
glucose leves, improve circulation maintain
fitness.

Natural and Artificial

Immunity

Natural and Artificial

Immunity
Acquired or adaptive immunity is most
typical of vertebrate organisms although
examples of adaptive responses also exist in
bacteria and invertebrates. Invertebrate
organisms rely primarily on a form immunity
known as innate immunity that lacks the
features of specificity and memory typical of
adaptive immunity but does confer essential
protection against infection nevertheless. This
type of immunity also exists in vertebrate
organisms alongside the adaptive one.

Natural and Artificial Immunity

Immunity is the ability to resist
infection by an invading pathogen.
The body quickly launches an
immune response and prevents the
symptoms of disease occurring. This
can happen in two ways naturally
or artificially. Natural immunity
occurs without human intervention
and artificial immunity occurs when
antigens or antibodies are given to a

Natural and artificial

Immunity
Natural and artificial immunity can be
expressed as being passive and active.
There are passive and active natural immunity
and passive and active artificial immunity.
Natural immunity
Passively acquired- Passive immunity is when a
person is given antibodies produced by
someone else. This could happen naturally
when a mother passes her own antibodies to
her baby either through her placenta or her
breast milk.

Natural and Artificial

Immunity
Actively acquired- different types of bacteria and
viruses have specific proteins in their walls
called antigens. When a pathogen enters the
blood lymphocytes make specific antibodies
against these antigens which:
Cause the pathogens to clump together which
prevents reproduction and results in their death.
Cause the pathogens to disintegrate.
Neutralise toxins produced by the pathogensantibodies which do this are called antitoxins .

Natural and Artificial

Immunity
Artificial immunity
Passively acquired- Artificially acquired passive immunity is a
short-term immunization by the injection of antibodies usually
antitoxins, that provides an immediate source of antibodies.
Actively acquired- vaccine contains live but weakened, inactive
or dead pathogens which cannot cause disease, but
lymphocytes still make antibodies against the specific antigens
present. Te lymphocytes thus learn the specific antigens so that
if the pathogen enters the body they immediately make
antibodies, destroying the pathogen before the disease
develops.

Monoclonal antibody
Researchers have learned how to design antibodies
that specifically target a certain antigen, such as one
that is found on cancer cells. They can then make
many copies of that antibody in the lab. These are
known as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs or moAbs).
Naked mAbs are antibodies that work by themselves.
There is no drug or radioactive material attached to
them. These are the most common type of mAbs
used to treat cancer.
Most naked mAbs attach to antigens on cancer cells,
but some work by binding to antigens on other, noncancerous cells, or to even free-floating proteins.

Natural and Artificial

Immunity
Some boost a persons immune response
against cancer cells by attaching to them and
acting as a marker for the bodys immune
system to destroy them
Some naked mAbs boost the immune response
by targeting immune system checkpoints.
Other naked mAbs work mainly by attaching to
and blocking antigens that are important
signals for cancer cells (or other cells that help
cancer cells grow or spread).

Diet, obesity and Diabetes

There are many risk factors of diabetes. The
prevalence of diabetes is increasing due to
peoples lifestyle.
Obesity is a major risk factor of diabetes.
What a person eats and how much they eat
have a large effect on their health.
Eating balance diet is a good way to have
long healthy life.
A balanced diet is a diet containing all of the

Diet, Obesity and Obesity

different nutrients required by the,
that supplies the appropriate amount
of energy.
Eating too much and exercising too
little can lead to being overweight.
This is greatly linked to type 2
diabetes.
A person who is overweight is said to
be obese. Obesity is defined as
having a body mass index (BMI)

Diet, Obesity and Diabetes

Obesity results mainly from
consistently consuming nutrients
that contains more energy than the
body requires and uses.
The spare energy is stored as fat
which builds up as adipose tissue
underneath the skin and around the
body organs.