The major types of infections and how they spread through the body.

over 1 year ago

We have been reading and learning so much about infectious diseases and how they affect humans from notable and intelligent writers in this community, I mean, all I have to do is to open the @stemsocial community and there is a lot to learn about different forms of sicknesses caused by different existing infections. My aim with this writing today is to focus on exploring the different existing infections, these infections that cause the sickness we read so much about, who are they, and what do they do?
An infection is said to have occurred when a microorganism finds its way into the human body and causes harm, the microorganism makes use of the infected body for its own sustenance, reproduction, and colonization.

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Infectious microscopic organisms are called pathogens and they can quickly multiply, examples of these pathogens are; fungi, viruses, and bacteria. The spread of these pathogens is not a one-way thing, as it can happen in several ways, it can be spread through; contact with infected feces, transfer of body fluid, skin contact, ingestion of contaminated water or contaminated food, and inhaling of airborne droplets or particles. As explained earlier that pathogens are of different types, and the spread of the infection is highly dependent on its effect on the human body and of course the type of pathogen in question.
The place of the immune system is also not far-fetched when speaking about the reaction to an infection in the human body, the immune system serves as an effective barrier against infectious agents, but there are times when pathogens sometimes overwhelm the ability of the immune system to fight them off, it is at this very stage that infection becomes harmful.

Some pathogens will have just very little effect on the body, while others will produce inflammatory substances or toxins that trigger negative responses from the body, the difference in reaction only implies that some infections are very mild and almost unnoticeable while others will be so severe that they even become life-threatening. Some of these pathogens are also highly resistant to treatment. Bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites are different types of pathogens that are different in several ways, they differ in shape, size, genetic content, functions, and their actions on the body. The treatment of these pathogens will definitely be dependent on the cause of the infection, I will like to take some time to explore each of these pathogens one after.

Viral Infections: A virus is a piece of information inside a protective shell, it is actually smaller than the human cell, there is no way for viruses to reproduce on their own, so they get inside the cell and make use of the cell machinery to make copies of themselves, when the cell dies, there is a release of a new virus that infects new cells. Viral infections occur as a result of infection with a virus, they contain a small piece of genetic code, and a coat of protein and lipid (fat) molecules to protect them.

It is also very possible for viruses to target some age groups like infants, it could stay dormant for some time before it gets multiplied again, a person with the virus may appear like someone who has recovered fully after some time but the sickness may re-occur after the self reactivation of the virus. Viral infections include;

Gastroenteritis.
Common cold.
Meningitis and encephalitis.
COvid-19.
Warts and skin infections.
Some examples of viral infections are; polio, HIV, hepatitis C, Dengue fever, Ebola, etc. The symptoms of viral infections can be relieved with the help of antiviral medications that can help relieve the symptoms passed by the viral infections, they achieve this purpose by either preventing the virus from reproducing or they boost the host immune system to counter the effects of the virus. Antibiotics are not strongly effective against viruses, as the drugs will not stop the virus, but their usage will only increase the risk of antibiotic resistance, most of these treatments aim to relieve symptoms while the immune system combats the virus without assistance from the medication.

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Bacterial Infections: Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms, they are also known as prokaryotes, and they cause a wide range of infectious diseases. They enter the body through injuries, surgical incisions, scrapes, and from the mouth and the nose.
Bacteria take three major shapes; the spherical shape also known as cocci, the rod-shaped also known as bacilli and the spiral shape also known as spirilla. Bacteria have the ability to survive in what we will normally regard as an extreme environment, from extreme heat to intense cold, others can even survive in a case of radioactive waste, but we have good bacteria as well as bad bacteria, some of the good bacteria's are found in the airways and the guts without causing any harm, they even attack the bad bacteria and prevent them from causing any serious sickness, but some bacterial diseases can be highly dangerous and deadly. Here are some examples of bacterial infections; pneumonia, food poisoning, eye infections, gastritis, skin infections, STIs, and tuberculosis.

Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, but some strains can be very resistant and are able to survive the treatment.

Fungal Infections: Just like bacteria, there are different types of fungi as well, existing in and out of the body. It is usually a multicellular parasite that has the ability to decompose and absorb organic matter with the use of an enzyme, but some types of yeast are in a single-celled form.
Several fungal infections grow in the upper layers of the skin, while others develop further into the deeper layers. Some categories of people stand a higher chance of developing fungal infections, they are people who;

Have been using antibiotics for a very long time.
Those with a weak immune system.
*Those who have undergone a transplant, so medications are taken to prevent the body from rejecting new organs.
Some examples of fungal infections are; ringworm, certain infections of the eye, candidiasis, and valley fever.

Parasitic Infections: We also have parasites making use of the bodies of other organisms to live and reproduce. Parasites include worms and some single-celled organisms.

While these are the most common types of infections, there are still other types that can affect humans. Common symptoms of infections that humans will experience are; cough, sweats and chills, sore throat, breath shortage, stiff neck, and burning sensation while urinating.
There cannot be a specific treatment option for all infection types, as each treatment depends on the type of pathogen that has caused the infection.

The spread of infections can be prevented through;

Always covering the mouth while sneezing or coughing.
Not sharing personal items.
Getting vaccinated at the appropriate time.
Always stay careful around animals.
Resting well and appropriately.

Conclusion.

Infections are caused by harmful pathogens that can impair quality of life, although there are other types of infections the common ones are; viral, bacterial, fungi, and parasitic, the common signs of infection are body pain, fever, tiredness, and possibly nasal congestion.