Air Borne Diseases and its Prevention Methods
Airborne Diseases
Air is the best medium to carry any amount of bacteria and virus that are harmful to human beings.
Examples
Some examples of airborne diseases are:
- Whooping cough it is caused by bacteria. Any person suffering from cough for a long time may develop whooping cough.
- Influenza: Air gets contaminated with the common cold causing virus from an infected person to transmit it to a healthy person.
- Mumps: It is caused by airborne virus.
- Diphtheria, Tuberculosis, Meningitis: These three diseases are caused by bacteria.
Besides these, polluted air can cause a large number of respiratory diseases, like bronchitis, asthma and lung cancer.
Prevention of above Diseases:
We know prevention is better than cure. So, before infection we should prevent the microorganisms not to enter our body. It can be prevented by:
Breathe in fresh air.
Use a handkerchief while sneezing or coughing.
It is necessary to separate the diseased person from others. Use of garments of a diseased person by another person must be avoided. Washing clothes, utensils and other personal belongings used by a diseased person should be washed separately, preferably with hot water.
Oral mask is necessary to prevent infection.
Spitting here and there must be prevented.
Disinfection in public area especially in Hospital, Nursing Home is required.
Vaccination is very effective method for preventing many dreaded airborne diseases, such as, diphtheria, meningitis, tuberculosis and hepatitis. Vaccination is the process of administration of a substance designed to provide specific protection against a particular disease.
In our country, we have adopted a National Immunization Schedule under which every child, up to the age of 5 years, is vaccinated. You might be aware of the National Pulse Polio Immunization Programme. It has been undertaken to eradicate polio.
