Infectious diseases kill more people worldwide than any other single cause. Infectious diseases are caused by germs. Germs are tiny living things that are found everywhere – in air, soil and water. You can get infected by touching, eating, drinking or breathing something that contains a germ. Germs can also spread through animal and insect bites, kissing and sexual contact. Vaccines, proper hand washing and medicines can help prevent infections.

Anaerobic infections are typically supportive, causing abscess formation and tissue necrosis, often the result of thrombophlebitis and/or gas formation. Many anaerobes produce enzymes that devitalize tissue as well as some of the most potent paralytic toxins known. Clues to the presence of anaerobic infection include gas formation in tissue, foul feculent odors, and abscess formation or tissue necrosis.

Over the centuries, man has gone from a simple diet consisting of meats, fruits, vegetables, and grains, to a diet that often consists of foods rich in fats, oils, and complex carbohydrates. Nutritional excess and nutritional deficiency have become problems in today’s society – both contributing to several chronic diseases.

Sore Throat
Sore throat is a symptom of many medical disorders. Infections cause the majority of sore throats and are contagious. Infections are caused either by viruses such as the flu, the common cold, mononucleosis, or by bacteria such as strep, mycoplasma, or hemophilus.

Treatment
Diet and Nutrition Give plenty of liquids, especially if the child is vomiting. Avoid dairy products and large meals.

Homeopathy Drosera rotundifolia or Aconitum napelius will help, especially at night.

Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for:
Herbal Medicine White horehound, mullein flower, thyme, and lavender may be prescribed.

Chickenpox
Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella zostervaricella zoster. People who get the virus often develop a rash of spots that look like blisters all over their bodies. The blisters are small and sit on an area of red skin that can be anywhere from the size of a pencil eraser to the size of a dime.

Treatment
Naturopathy Give plenty of fresh orange juice, lemon tea, or lemon juice sweetened with honey. Sponge the spots with tepid water. Three tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate added to a bath of lukewarm water should help ease itching.

Homeopathy Rhus tox. will soothe the irritation: Antimonium tart. can help heal the scabs.

Herbal Medicine An infusion of elderflower sponged onto the spot, should relieve itching. For fever, offer yarrow, lime blossom, or meadowsweet herbal tea.

German Measles (Rubella) Rubella is an acute viral disease whose symptoms include a slight pink rash of tiny spots, starting behind the ears or on the face and spreading down the body, and possibly watery eyes and swollen glands.

Infectious disease is a large cause of pain and death. Infectious diseases cause about 25% of all deaths. These three pathogens cause the most deaths such as, HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects the human immune system. It causes AIDS. Vitamins, supplements and herbs have long been used by people with HIV to help manage the side effects of their therapies or improve their general health. Sore Throat is also A virus or bacterium infectious diseases. There are many alternative medicines are treat sore throat.

Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Caused by a bacterium, whooping cough attacks the mucous membranes that line the airways. The illness may last up to four months and can be extremely serious. Whooping cough symptoms include a “whoop”, or noisy intake of breath, at the end of a cough, accompanied by a mild fever, runny nose, and loss of appetite. Tuberculosis is caused by a bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its symptoms include a long-lasting bad cough, pain in the chest, coughing up blood or sputum. Chickenpox highly infectious disease is caused by the herpe, zoster virus.

German Measles (Rubella) is an acute viral disease whose symptoms include a slight pink rash of tiny spots, starting behind the ears or on the face and spreading down the body, and possibly watery eyes and swollen glands. A cool infusion of lavender, sponged onto the skin, should help relieve any itching. Malaria in travelers typically manifests weeks after patients leave the endemic area. Symptoms include a rash of very itchy spots, usually on the body, which then spreads to the limbs, face, and head. Try to avoid scratching, which spreads the infection. Wear long pants and shirts with long sleeves.

Some of the risk factors that can cause disease are highly ignored and not attended to properly. These sorts of risk factors are known as controllable risk factors. It is possible to control the spread of infectious diseases and prevent an outbreak by managing these factors in a proper way. Some of the risk factors of infectious diseases are explained below.

1. Unprotected sex: Sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS occur mainly due to unhealthy or unprotected sexual practices. It is always better to use condoms while having sexual intercourse. Apart from that, one should always avoid performing oral sex with a stranger. It is always better if one remains faithful to his/her better-half.

2. Untreated open wounds: This factor poses the biggest risk to getting infected with pathogens. Open wounds should always be treated with immediate affect.

3. Poor hygiene: Soil contaminants such as nematodes spread into the system when people consume food with unwashed hands. It is always good to maintain good hygiene. One should wash hands before and after consuming food. Clothes including innerwear should be changed regularly. They should be thoroughly cleaned using a good detergent.

4. Spoiled food: Several food borne infections such as Brucellosis spread through consumption of spoiled food that is already contaminated with pathogens. Even pathogens such as nematodes spread through uncooked food. Hence, it is important to cook food thoroughly and consume it before it gets spoiled.

5. Unhealthy diet: Diet that lacks important ingredients such as proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins and carbohydrates can lead to decreased immunity. Individuals with unhealthy diet are highly vulnerable to infectious diseases.

1. Smallpox
This variola virus had many forms and continues to be a required vaccination for many countries. Smallpox in its worse forms – hemorrhagic and flat – had the highest fatality rates with only a 10 percent or less chance of survival. Fortunately this disease has been the only one on this list to be completely eradicated from nature since it is only contagious through humans.

2. Typhoid fever
Perhaps one of the least lethal diseases on this list, the fatality rate of typhoid fever is only 10-30 percent. But the symptoms show up in stages over a period of three weeks and, in most cases, are not fatal. That said, the disease can stay dormant in a person who has overcome it and then be passed on to another person. The most famous case of this was the American cook in the early 1900s known as “Typhoid Mary” Mallon.

3. Influenza
Perhaps the scariest virus on this list is one that anyone anywhere can contract – influenza. Luckily, the flu is easily identified and in most countries easily combated. However, young children and the elderly are particularly susceptible to flu. And the most famous strain was the Spanish Flu, which was estimated to have killed 2-5 percent of the human population in 1918-1919. Thankfully that strain has never been seen again; however, the flu virus is famous for mutating from animals to humans.

4. Bubonic Plague
This plague is transmitted through infected fleas and kills about 70 percent of its victims in 4-7 days. The most well known epidemic was the Black Death in Medieval times when it was rumored to have killed about 25 million in Europe alone and another 50 million across the world. The bubonic plague is often characterized by swollen lymph nodes though the modern world has seen few breakouts.

5. Cholera
Normally a human gets cholera from eating or drinking infected food or water. And untreated, the disease will progress from massive diarrhea to shock in 4-12 hours and possibly death within 18 hours or several days. Luckily, with oral rehydration therapy, a person can survive from cholera; however, in its most severe form, cholera can kill within three hours. But good sanitation practices can curb an outbreak. As the old saying goes – don’t drink the water – in many underdeveloped countries.

Fungi are vegetable-like mushrooms or mildew that will make you ill and protozoa are single-cell predators that are looking for a host where they can eat and live. The idea of contracting communicable diseases is enough to make anyone want to live in a bubble, but the body is naturally very resilient, so simply washing your hands can avoid most trouble.

There are viral, contagious diseases like AIDS, Smallpox, Ebola, Hepatitis, sexually transmitted Herpes or HPV, Influenza, Measles, Mumps, Rabies, SARS, West Nile, Meningitis, Mono, Pneumonia and Yellow Fever. Then there are bacterial, transmittable diseases like Anthrax, Botulism, Cat Scratch Fever, Cholera, Diphtheria, Gonorrhea, Leprosy, Lyme disease, Strept Throat, Salmonella, Scarlet Fever, Tuberculosis, Typhus and Shingles. Some transferable diseases are transmitted via parasites, such as Chagas Disease, Malaria, Pinworm Infection, Scabies, Trichomoniasis, Giardiasis, Echinococcosis and other rare diseases. Other times, diseases are transmitted through fungus or prion (proteins).

When dealing with an infectious disease, the first step is the infection, when microbes enter your body and begin to multiply. Health experts say the infection becomes a disease when cells in your body become damaged and the symptoms of illness appear. White blood cells and antibodies will attempt to ward your body off from the infection, which results in fevers, coughing, sneezing or other ailments.

Once the disease takes hold, medication will be needed. It’s important to know the difference between infectious diseases caused by bacteria or by a virus because medications that may treat one are ineffective against treating the other. Bacterial infections caused by single-celled living organisms are treated with antibacterial antibiotics. Viral infections, which alter genetic capsules, cannot be treated with medication directly but may have the symptoms assuaged with lozenges, rest, water, decongestants, cough syrups and pain relievers.

Infectious diseases are no laughing matter. If you are coughing and nose blowing all over the place but feel tempted to go to work, then resist and rest. Not all diseases are contagious, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Avoid sharing drinks or personal items with people and remember that prevention is the best cure.

The causes of infection are of course, those nasty little critters known to science as germs, bacteria, and viruses and let’s not forget fungus (yuk!). It seems that our bodies are battlegrounds with our immune system having to constantly fight off army after army of potentially lethal infectious diseases. So what to do.? Well, at the less serious end of the scale such as colds, sore throats and fungal infections, such as thrush, that age old remedy garlic has no equal. Garlic is in fact a natural antibiotic and can be highly effective when used on its own or with other medication.

Recently a whole new area involving so-called pro-biotic yogurts has opened up. The idea behind these yogurts is to enhance your body’s natural defenses. One of these yogurts taken every day, can in fact, do wonders to help fortify your immune system. And here’s another supplement that has proved its worth: cod liver oil. It can be taken in handy capsule form and it’s not only good for your joints, but can stave off colds and flu as well.

But what about the more serious infectious diseases? Well, thank goodness we live in an age when vaccination and antibiotics can help protect us from a whole range of conditions which would have proved fatal in the time of our grandparents. That old saying that knowledge is power is still relevant. If only the people of medieval Europe had known that rats spread the plague it would have saved the lives of countless numbers. Today we may not have discovered a cure for AIDS but at least we are aware of its cause and can use an effective precaution namely the humble condom.

Infectious diseases will probably always be a problem and humanity will have to keep trying to invent and discover ever-new remedies. Still it’s a sobering thought that the most effective remedy is probably the simplest and oldest one of all: namely, hygiene. So don’t forget to wash your hands!

The symptoms of the common cold are quite familiar to all of us because at one point of time or the other, we all have experienced them. Normally these symptoms become visible about 2 – 3 days after the infection has set in. Here is a list of common cold symptoms:

* Sore Throat – The throat feels scratchy and sore.
* Runny Nose – The mucus begins to build up in the nose and tries to find a way out.
* Nasal congestion – This is often due to the mucus build up in the nose.
* Sneezing – This is because the mucus inside the nose attracts dust particles.
* Sinus swelling – These glands swell up causing mucus congestion as well.
* Cough – Sore throat leads to cough. Also the mucus tries to find a way out.
* Loss of appetite – This is caused by the infection and overall tiredness.
* Muscle aches – This is caused by overall tiredness due to the infection.
* Headache – The build up of mucus in the sinus glands leads to headaches.
* Fatigue – The infection causes overall fatigue and tiredness.
* Fever – The fever is often quite slight. But this may also be a sign of influenza if the fever lasts for more than a day or two.

Apart from leading to influenza, a common cold can often lead to infections of the middle ear, or even sinus infections. Therefore it is extremely important to take care during the common cold infection, especially if one is prone to these particular infections.

As such there are no specific remedies for the common cold. However, there are different methods of treatment for the symptoms of the infection, but there are no vaccines for the common cold. Normally these symptoms last for anywhere between 7 – 14 days.

Glandular Fever – Causes
The Epstein-Barr virus causes the glandular fever. It is passed on via the saliva and the mucus produced in the nose and throat of the infected person. People who are suffering from glandular fever are most infectious when they have fever. As the disease is spread mainly via the saliva and close contact, it is also referred to as the ‘Kissing Disease’. Hence, close contact and using the same towel and spoons with the infected person should be avoided.

The virus affects the cells of the salivary glands and a certain part of the white blood cells which are known as B-lymphocytes which are actually responsible for producing the antibodies against diseases. The infection begins in the salivary glands and large amount of the virus is released in the saliva. The virus then spreads to the B-lymphocytes where they multiply causing the lymph nodes to swell up and become very painful.

Glandular Fever – Symptoms
At the onset of the mononucleosis infection, the symptoms pass off as that of flu for about two weeks. The health practitioner usually suspects otherwise after some time has elapsed and there is no improvement in the condition of the patient. Some of the common symptoms seen in glandular fever are:

* Fever along with severe fatigue
* A soar throat along with swollen tonsils which are heavily covered with a white coating
* Headache and muscle pain
* Excessive tendency to sweat
* Sore and swollen lymph nodes in the throat, armpits and the groin
* Enlargement of liver along with jaundice
* Development of rash on parts of the body especially the trunk and limbs
* Stomach pain along with signs that the spleen has enlarged

Glandular Fever – Complications
The spleen which is present under the ribs on the left side at the back can sometimes become enlarged because of glandular fever. This is usually a very rare complication and the spleen can get swollen to a point that it can rupture. In such cases, an emergency surgery to remove the spleen will have to be performed as the ruptured spleen can cause heavy internal bleeding. This would be associated with abdominal pain along with the sudden deterioration in the patient.

Further, in theory there is also the risk of damaging the spleen if the patient who is recovering from the infection takes part in heavy physical activities. Therefore the patients are strongly advised not to exercise for four weeks after the disease has ended.

Apart from the inflammation of the spleen, the rare complications that are seen in patients with glandular fever include damage to the nervous system like inflammation of the brain, hepatitis, pneumonia and anemia. Further, it has also been estimated that about 10% of the people who have glandular fever develop long term chronic fatigue syndrome accompanied with occasional fever, the respiratory canal can become partially blocked, the number of platelets in the blood may decrease and lymph node enlargement.

Glandular Fever – Treatment
There is no set path of treatment for glandular fever. People suffering from glandular fever usually recover completely in a couple of weeks. The treatment is only prescribed for the symptoms if they become very troublesome:

* Fluids: It is very important to consume plenty of fluid during the infection. Swallowing the liquid can be rather painful during a sore throat but not drinking can lead to dehydration especially if the patient also has fever. Further, mild dehydration can also make the tiredness and headache worse.
* Antibiotics: Antibiotics does not kill the virus that causes the glandular fever. However, in some cases, people develop a secondary bacterial infection on the inflamed tonsils which the antibiotics will be able to treat.
* Paracetamol: can be prescribed to ease the pain, headache and fever.
* Steroids: As steroids help in reducing the inflammation, a short course of the steroids can be prescribed to reduce the throat inflammation. However, the use of steroids is very rare.

According to Professor Ruth Itzhaki who led the research team, HSV-1 (Herpes simplex 1) that infects more than 80 percent of Americans and causes cold sores around the mouth, is found in the brains of up to 70% of people with Alzheimer’s.

There is a gene, called ApoE-4, known to be a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. The question is to know whether herpes in concert with ApoE-4 increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The research also show that people who are frequently troubled by cold sores are more likely to have the gene that makes them more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists still have to establish a direct link between the virus and the disease. Even if more research is needed, this research offers hopes. First, if this correlation is revealed, it would mean that if people could be immunised against the herpes virus, they would also be less prone to Alzheimer’s disease. Secondly, cold sores treatments would help prevent Alzheimer’s.

While it is still a struggle to get rid of cold sores, there are medications and cold sores remedies that can be useful in their treatment and management of this skin condition.

For instance, certain types of foods can help heal cold sores: foods rich in L-Lysine, such as Fish , shrimp, lima beans, poultry, mung beans sprouts. On the contrary, foods rich in L-Arginine should be avoided, such as nuts, sesame, lentils, peas, sunflower seeds, oats, corn, barley, buckwheat, chocolate, and coconut.

If there is a viral link between herpes and Alzheimer’s, does it mean that this kind of diet would also help prevent Alzheimer’s? What about supplements like vitamin C, probiotics, or zinc, or herbal remedies like Echinacea, Goldenseal, lemon balm which help minimize outbreaks?

Of course it is much better to avoid getting cold sore in the first place than to get rid of cold sores. Cold sore can spread through direct skin contact like kissing, touching or oral sex. Things used by a person with herpes simplex virus like towels, drinking glass; toothbrush etc. can also help spread the virus. Avoid skin contact or using personal stuffs of people you suspected with cold sores.

In most cases, cold sore appears in the most inappropriate occasions like weddings, big dates etc. because you are more vulnerable to the virus when stressed. You should start to find remedies to get rid of cold sores, to stop the annoyance and embarrassment brought by this skin disease.

It is important that cold sore cure is available at the onset of this skin disease to prevent it from spreading and to get rid of cold sores as soon as possible. Cold sore can last for weeks if not treated at once. Here are some tips to get rid of cold sores.

Keep your cold sore dry. Regularly wash the area around the cold sore and pat it dry. Cold sore needs moisture and dirt to keep swelling. If they are kept clean and dry, healing will speed up. Shield cold sores with petroleum jelly using cotton swab to avoid swelling.

Replace your toothbrush with a new one once detected you have a cold sore. Toothbrushes incubate cold sore causing viruses and it will keep coming back if you use the same toothbrush. You also need to replace your toothpaste tubes since toothbrush bristles get in contact with the toothpaste tubes each time you use your toothpaste. Buy smaller toothpaste and avoid rubbing your toothbrush bristles against the opening of the toothpaste tube.

Zinc sulfate, available in your local pharmacy can also help get rid of cold sores. You can ask the nearest pharmacy for a zinc sulfate tube once you spot a cold sore starting to burst out.

Amino acid lysine can also help you get rid of cold sores. You can get if from drinking supplements or by eating potatoes and dairy products. But amino acid lysine is not recommended for nursing or pregnant women as this can interfere with the infant’s development.

Lemon balm, tea tree oil, Echinacea and tea bag applied directly to the affected area can also help get rid of cold sores due to its antiviral properties.

Avoid stress to get rid of cold sores. Stress triggers the recurrence of cold sores and it also weakens your immune system, making you more vulnerable to viral infections. Get rid of cold sores by eating a healthy balanced diet, exercise and getting enough sleep.