Context: Pathogens that transmit through the air will be described by the term ‘infectious respiratory particles’ or IRPs, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The world health body has thus ended the lack of a common terminology to describe the transmission of these pathogens, which was particularly challenging during the global COVID-19 pandemic.
More information:
The descriptor "through the air" can be used for infectious diseases where the main type of transmission involves the pathogen travelling through the air or being suspended in the air, in line with other terms such as "waterborne" diseases.
Pathogens:
- A pathogen is any organism that causes disease.
- These microbes only cause a problem if your immune system is weakened or if they manage to enter a normally sterile part of your body.
- They can be spread through skin contact, bodily fluids, airborne particles, contact with faeces, and touching a surface touched by an infected person.
Types:
Viruses:
- Made up of a piece of genetic code, such as DNA or RNA, and protected by a coating of protein.
- Invade host cells within the body and use the components of the host cell to replicate, producing more viruses.
- These new viruses usually damage or destroy the infected cells. Some viruses can remain dormant for a time before multiplying again.
- Antibiotics do not kill viruses and therefore are ineffective as a treatment for viral infections. Antiviral medications can sometimes be used, depending on the virus.
- Causes number of infections, many of which are contagious: common cold flu; meningitis; warts, chickenpox/shingles; measles; hepatitis A, B, C, D, E; yellow fever; dengue fever; HIV and AID
Bacteria:
- Microorganisms made of a single cell.
- Have the ability to live in any environment, including in and on our body.
- Not all bacteria cause infections. Those that can are called pathogenic bacteria.
- Our body can be more prone to bacterial infections when immune system is compromised by a virus.
- Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections.
- Examples of bacterial infections: strep throat; bacterial gastroenteritis, such as salmonella food poisoning or E.coli infection; bacterial meningitis; Lyme disease; tuberculosis
Fungi:
- Found everywhere in the environment, including indoors, outdoors, and on human skin.
- Cause infection when they overgrow.
- Fungi cells contain a nucleus and other components protected by a membrane and a thick cell wall. Their structure can make them harder to kill.
- New strains of fungal infections are dangerous, such as Candida aurus.
- Examples of common fungal infections are: thrush; athlete’s foot
Parasites:
- Organisms that live in or on a host and feeding from or at the expense of the host.
- Parasitic infections are more common in tropical and subtropical regions.
- Three main types of parasites can cause disease in humans:
- Protozoa: single-celled organisms that can live and multiply in our body
- Helminths: multi-celled organisms that can live inside or outside our body and are commonly known as worms
- Ectoparasites: multi-celled organisms that live on or feed off our skin, including some insects, such as ticks and mosquitos
- Spread through contaminated soil, water, food, and blood, as well as through sexual contact and via insect bites.
- Examples of diseases caused by parasites include: Trichomoniasis; malaria