Am I infected? Is it contagious? I am confused - Information for teens
Have you ever heard someone talk about 'an infectious disease' or 'Do not go close to that person, they are contagious'.
But what does it mean? If your are 'infected' are you not also 'contagious'?
Lets get some information on this.
If you have an infectious disease, it means your body has been infected by a virus or bacteria that can make you sick, like for instance having the flu virus. Now some of these diseases you can spread to other people and the moment it can do that, it is called a 'contagious disease.'
Some — but not all — infectious diseases spread directly from one person to another.
Some diseases can be 'caught' by being bitten by an insect, like for instance a tick. You can be infected with lyme disease, but this is not something you can carry over to another human, therefore we cannot say it is contagious.
- do research and find at least 5 examples of contagious diseases and also determine what causes the illness
There are different ways in which a contagious disease can spread from you to somebody else.
It can be through direct touch or contatact or some of the virus or bacteria spread through air or ground and then you have some that can only spread through sexual contact and some can even spread if you wear the same clothes or use the same towel as the infected person.
- can you find an example of diseases that can spread in these ways
There are always ways in which you can protect yourself against catching a contagious disease from somebody.
The most important one is to always wash your hands if you have been in contact with a sick person. You can also avoid it altogether to get in touch with somebody who is sick and make sure that you practice safe sex if it is a contagious STD.
Making sure that you are up to date with all your vaccinations is also away to prevent yourself from getting a contagious disease.
Read more here about different STDs
Can an infectious diseases lurk in your food?
Yes it can.
You will not be contagious, but you will surely get sick.
If you do not cook your meat properly, which is one of the biggest causes of making people sick, you can also get infected if you eat left over food that were not kept in a fridge. This can be very dangerous and can make you very sick.
Also make sure that if you buy food from a food vendor, that they are clean and use good quality, fresh food and prepare it properly.
If you eat any fruits or vegetables raw, always make sure you wash it before you eat it. Never drink milk that is not pasteurized.
subject (milk, wine, or other products) to a process of partial sterilization, especially one involving heat treatment or irradiation, thus making the product safe for consumption and improving its keeping quality.
Read here for more information.
