Contagious Diseases Sourcebook, 5th Ed.

Contagious diseases occur when microbes—bacteria, viruses, and fungi—are passed from person to person. Vaccination programs and other prevention measures have been successful in reducing the number of new cases of many contagious diseases. However, in many industrialized countries where communicable disease mortality has greatly decreased over the past century, the return of old communicable diseases, the emergence of new ones, and the evolution of antimicrobial resistance continue to present a challenge, and infectious diseases remain a major public health concern in the United States and around the world.

Contagious Diseases Sourcebook, Fifth Edition provides updated information about microbes that are spread from person to person and the diseases they cause, including influenza, lice infestation, pneumonia, staphylococcal and streptococcal infections, tuberculosis, and others. The types of diagnostic tests and treatments available from medical professionals are explained, and self-care practices for familiar symptoms—such as fever and sore throat that often accompany the common cold—are described. Other topics addressed include antibiotic resistance, the role of handwashing in preventing the spread of disease, and recommendations and controversies surrounding vaccination programs. The book concludes with a glossary of related terms and a directory of additional resources.

Part I: Introduction to Microbes and Contagious Diseases provides various types of microbes and different kinds of infections. It explains how the immune system responds to germs and how diseases can be transmitted from one person to another. It also describes the risk of infectious diseases from blood transfusion.

Part II: Viral Contagious Diseases provides information about the causes, transmission, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of various diseases caused by viruses such as chickenpox, mumps, gonorrhea, hepatitis, influenza, measles, polio, rubella, COVID, and other diseases.

Part III: Bacterial Contagious Diseases explains in detail about the diseases and infections caused by bacteria such as bacterial meningitis, chancroid, Hansen disease, diphtheria, syphilis, pneumonia, salmonellosis, streptococcal infections, tuberculosis, and so on.

Part IV: Parasitic and Fungal Contagious Diseases provides information about the contagious disease caused by parasitic and fungi including amebiasis, cryptosporidiosis, lice infestation, pinworms, scabies, giardiasis, trichomoniasis, and fungal infections.

Part V: Self-Care and Treatment for Contagious Diseases discusses frequently used remedies for common illnesses and disease symptoms. Facts about the proper use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications are included along with a chapter focusing on the dangers associated with drug interactions. The part concludes with information about the use of probiotics, herbal and dietary supplements, and other forms of complementary and alternative medicine.

Part VI: Prevention and Control Measures for Contagious Diseases begins with information about personal hygiene practices. It continues with facts about vaccines, another effective tool for halting the proliferation of disease. Information about vaccine recommendations for children, adolescents, and adults is included, and this part also addresses problems associated with vaccines, the vaccine adverse event reporting system, and the difficulties that can arise as a result of vaccine misinformation.

Part VII: Additional Help and Information provides a glossary of terms related to contagious diseases and a directory of resources for additional information.