Disease Transmission
What are the two major categories of disease transmission?
Direct transmission and indirect transmission.
What is public health surveillance?
Tracking diseases to see what is happening in a community.
What is the difference between infection and intoxication?
Infection involves swallowing a living microorganism; intoxication involves ingesting a toxin produced by a microorganism.
What is immunization?
The process of protecting a person from disease through vaccination.
What type of pathogen causes HIV?
A virus.
What type of transmission occurs when someone coughs near you and droplets land in your eyes, nose, or mouth?
Droplet transmission.
What is passive surveillance?
When doctors and labs report diseases to health departments without public health actively searching.
What is the most common viral cause of foodborne illness?
Norovirus.
What is latent TB infection?
TB bacteria are inactive, no symptoms are present, and the person is not contagious.
What immune cells does HIV attack?
CD4 T-cells
What type of transmission allows germs to stay suspended in the air for long periods of time?
Airborne transmission
What is a baseline in outbreak investigation?
The normal number of cases expected in a population.
What is the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness?
Salmonella.
What does DOT stand for in TB control? What does it mean?
Directly Observed Therapy; when a healthcare worker watches the patient take the treatment
What is AIDS?
The final stage of HIV when the immune system is severely damaged.
What is a fomite?
An object that carries germs, like a phone, desk, or doorknob.
What is the purpose of a case definition?
To establish rules for identifying who is part of the outbreak
What is cross-contamination?
When raw foods (like meat) touch ready-to-eat foods and spread germs.
Why does a positive TB skin test or blood test not automatically mean someone has active tuberculosis?
Because it only shows exposure to TB bacteria; it does not confirm active disease — further testing like a chest X-ray is needed.
Name one common bacterial STD in the U.S.
Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, or Syphilis
What is fecal-oral transmission?
When germs from feces enter the mouth, usually from poor handwashing or contaminated food/water.
Why must public health confirm the existence of an epidemic before taking action?
To make sure the number of cases is truly higher than normal and not just expected variation
Why are most foodborne illnesses not part of recognized outbreaks?
Because most cases occur individually and are not linked to large clusters.
Why is TB treatment required for at least 6 months?
Because TB bacteria grow slowly and incomplete treatment can lead to drug resistance.
What is HAART used for?
To treat and control HIV infection