SurvivalMedicineBlog

Infectious disease: what it is

Not medical advice. This is an archive article for general information when professional care is hard to reach. It is not a diagnosis, treatment, or cure. Read the disclaimer. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

An infectious disease is an illness caused by a germ, such as a virus, a bacterium, or a parasite, that can pass from a source to a person. Some spread in droplets when someone coughs. Some spread on hands and surfaces. Some spread in food or water. Some spread through insect bites. The route matters because the everyday precautions are different.

Not every illness is an infection. Allergies, dehydration, and cold injury can look dramatic and still not be something you "catch." Sorting that out is a clinician's job when the person is very sick.

What actually helps day to day

• Handwashing with soap and water
• Safe food handling and water you trust
• Covering coughs and staying home when newly sick
• Keeping skin breaks clean, and getting care if redness spreads
• Avoiding tick and mosquito bites when those insects are active where you live

Serious infections need professional care. Trouble breathing, a stiff neck with fever, confusion, a rash that does not fade when pressed, or an illness that is worsening quickly are reasons to get help now. This page used to repeat a long article taken from another website, including a tour of many diseases. That copy has been removed. A list of diseases is not protection, and it is not yours to diagnose from.

Continue with everyday prevention. Pages that recommended herbs or homeopathy for outbreaks, including Ebola and enterovirus, have been taken down and redirect here.