Airborne, Bloodborne, and Food-Borne Diseases and Transmissions

In this article, an explanation of airborne, bloodborne, and food-borne diseases and transmission will be discussed. It will discuss how airborne, bloodborne, and food-borne diseases are transmitted while also giving examples, symptoms, and prevention measures of each type of disease and transmission.

Airborne Diseases

An airborne transmission is caused by being in contact with pathogens or germs passing in the air or stuck on a surface area. These germs or pathogens can remain in the air or on a surface area from someone’s cough, sneeze, or talk through either nasal and/or throat secretions or mucus thrown into the atmosphere. The pathogens that are present are small bacterium, microorganisms, or viruses that can result in becoming ill or disease. Examples of airborne diseases include the common cold, influenza, chickenpox, mumps, measles, whooping cough (pertussis), Tuberculosis (TB) and Diphtheria. (Pietrangelo and Weatherspoon, 2020). And probably the most famous, infectious disease that has come out from Wuhan, China on December 31, 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 or as more commonly known as COVID-19 is a prime example of an airborne disease. As COVID-19 has shown over the past year, an infectious disease is an extremely contagious illness that is due from some living organism like a bacteria or viruses.

As for any diseases, there are the possibility of signs and/or symptoms of it occurring. Signs are factual proof of a disease (i.e. fever) and symptoms are individual indications of a disease (i.e. back pain). Usually, an airborne disease can result in one or more of the following signs or symptoms as listed: coughing, sneezing, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, swollen glands, headache, body aches, loss of appetite, fever, fatigue, and/or inflammation in nose, throat, sinuses, or lungs. (Pietrangelo and Weatherspoon, 2020). Where inflammation is the process of your body fighting with white blood cells to protect and heal you from infection; on the surface of your skin the appearance is portrayed as redness or swelling. Some more serious signs or symptoms of an airborne disease may include coughing up blood, ear infections, diarrhea, dehydration, severe respiratory infection, blindness, and/or swelling of the brain, or encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). (Pietrangelo and Weatherspoon, 2020). Prevention measures include regularly cleaning common surface areas (counter tops, doorknobs, and handles, et cetera), coughing towards your elbow, and washing hands. And as we learned from COVID-19, sanitizing hands in public or more effectively washing hands, wearing a face mask, and staying six feet apart are some other prevention measures.

Bloodborne Diseases

A bloodborne transmission can be initiated by being in contact with someone’s infected blood or bodily fluids through either cuts or wounds, blood transfusion, or any other blood-related products. Bloodborne diseases are caused by pathogens that can spread through contact with contaminated blood. In this case, the contamination means there is a biological substance or a pathogen within the blood that becomes harmful for any human. Some examples of bloodborne diseases consist of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B, hepatitis C and mostly any other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Other examples include viral hemorrhagic fevers and Lassa fevers. (Boslaugh, 2018).

While some people experience signs/symptoms and others do not, a few symptoms of bloodborne diseases include jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and joint pain. (Boslaugh, 2018). Jaundice is a discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and/or eyes that appears yellowish. Some prevention measures include wearing condoms during intercourse, wearing personal protective equipment like eyewear, face mask, and gloves when dealing with blood products, and avoiding injections of drug use.

Food-Borne Diseases

A food-borne transmission can be caused by consuming any food or drink that has been contaminated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers have discovered more than 250 food-borne diseases and most of them are the result of infections, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). In the U.S., the top five common germs that are known to produce a food-borne disease or food poisoning are norovirus, campylobacter, clostridium perfringens, salmonella, and staphylococcus aureus. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). Salmonellosis, also known as salmonella, is an infectious food-borne disease that affects the intestines for food contaminated with poop or feces.

Several symptoms of food-borne diseases consist of fever, diarrhea nausea, an upset stomach, stomach cramps and vomiting. And some prevention measures include washing your hands, keeping animals away from food and food preparation, washing your food before eating, and using food products before expiration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this paper has discussed airborne, bloodborne, and food-borne diseases and transmission. Examples, signs, and symptoms of each disease and transmission were explained. Whether it is an airborne, bloodborne, or food-borne disease, there are safety measures that a person can take to prevent becoming sick and ending up with a disease. It is best to be safe rather than sorry.

Medical Terms

Airborne Transmission: The transmission that is caused by being in contact with pathogens or germs passing in the air or stuck on a surface area.

Bloodborne Transmission: The transmission by being in contact with someone’s infected blood or bodily fluids through either cuts or wounds, blood transfusion, or any other blood-related products.

Contamination: A biological substance or a pathogen within the blood that becomes harmful for any human.

Food-borne Transmission: The transmission that is caused by consuming any food or drink that has been contaminated.

Jaundice: A discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes, and/or eyes that appears yellowish.

Pathogen: Small bacterium, microorganism, or virus that can result to becoming ill or disease.

Infectious Diseases: An extremely contagious illness that is due from some living organism like a bacteria or viruses.

Inflammation: The process of your body fighting with white blood cells to protect and heal you from infection; on the surface of your skin the appearance is portrayed as redness or swelling.

Salmonellosis: Also known as salmonella, an infectious food-borne disease that affect the intestines for food contaminated with poop or feces.

Signs: Factual proof of an illness or disease (i.e. fever).

Symptoms: Individual indication of an illness or disease (i.e. back pains).

References

Boslaugh, S. (2018). Bloodborne disease. Encycolpedia Britannica. Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/science/bloodborne-disease

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Foodborne Germs and Illnesses. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/foodborne-germs.html

Pietrangelo, A. and Weatherspoon, D. (2020). What Are Airborne Diseases? Healthline. Retrieved from: https://www.healthline.com/health/airborne-diseases