Search results
- Overview
- What is a pathogen?
- Bacteria
- Pneumonia
- Viruses
- Common cold
- Protozoa
- Helminths
- Fungi
Overview of common diseases in humans and the pathogens that cause them.
This article offers a review of the following concepts:
•types of pathogens,
•details of common diseases caused by these pathogens (including symptoms and route of infection), and
Have you ever fell unwell after eating some dodgy food, or sharing space with someone who was coughing, or maybe mysteriously, right before school on a Monday?
When we "catch a bug", or "spread germs", we're actually talking about pathogens. A pathogen is an infectious organism that causes disease when it enters our bodies. They can be of many types, the most common of which are - bacteria, viruses, protozoa, worms, and fungi.
There are tens of thousands of known species of bacteria (and still counting!), some of which are harmless or even useful to us. However, pathogenic bacteria can cause serious illnesses in humans, a few of which are listed below.
Other common bacterial diseases include dysentery, diphtheria, and the plague.
[Isn't the plague a thing of the past??]
Viral infections can range from mild to very serious illnesses. In late 2019 , the SARS-CoV-2 virus brought the world to a stand-still with the COVID-19 pandemic. A few other common viral diseases are listed below.
[Why haven't we cured this yet?]
Other examples of viral diseases include dengue and chikungunya, which are spread by the bite of female Aedes mosquitoes.
Let's play doctor!
Diagnose the patient 1
A patient enters your clinic with complaints of fever, chills and frequent headaches. There is no sign of congestion or a sore throat, but she has a bad cough and trouble breathing properly.
Which organism do you order a blood test for?
There are harmless protozoa that live happily in the sea (until a blue whale gobbles them up for lunch), and there are deadly ones that can really harm us.
Helminths, or parasitic worms, are some of the most common and largest pathogens known to us (adults are usually visible to the naked eye). Many helminths can live free of hosts, but others can infect humans with the diseases listed below.
The term fungi brings to mind delightful things like mushrooms and truffles. Maybe it reminds you of less tasty, but important things like decomposition of organic matter. Perhaps the least delightful, are the fungi that can cause discomfort and skin lesions .
[What does dandruff have to do with fungus?]
Sickle cell disease Learn about the different types and symptoms of sickle cell disease Sinusitis Learn about sinusitis symptoms and treatments Sjogren's syndrome Learn about Sjögren's syndrome symptoms and treatments Skin cancer (melanoma) Learn about melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can spread to other organs in the body
In the topographic classification, diseases are subdivided into such categories as gastrointestinal disease, vascular disease, abdominal disease, and chest disease.
Jul 22, 2019 · Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis. Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are closely linked inflammatory conditions. PMR causes muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders, upper arms, hip area, and neck. GCA causes headaches, scalp tenderness, jaw pain, and eye problems.
Nov 30, 2023 · There are four different types of genetic disorders (inherited) and include: Single gene inheritance. Multifactorial inheritance. Chromosome abnormalities. Mitochondrial inheritance. Single gene inheritance disorders. Single gene inheritance is also called Mendelian or monogenetic inheritance.
Dec 14, 2023 · What are the different types of cardiovascular diseases? How many deaths do they cause, and how do their death rates vary worldwide? In this article, I give an overview of the cardiovascular system, cardiovascular diseases and their impact worldwide.
May 30, 2013 · This brief A-Z guide covers some of the more common diseases and conditions, including a definition and the causes, symptoms & treatments of various genetic diseases as well as infectious and...
