Join with a free account for more service, or become a member for full access to exclusives and extra support of WorldSupporter >>
What is an infection?
An infection occurs when a foreign organism (pathogen) like bacteria, virus, fungus, or parasite invades a host (human or animal) and disrupts normal bodily functions, causing disease. Here's a deeper dive:
What are the main features of an infection?
- Invasion and Colonization: Pathogens gain entry into the host through various routes (airborne, ingestion, etc.) and establish themselves in host tissues.
- Disruption and Damage: Pathogens compete for resources, damage host cells, and release toxins, leading to tissue injury and illness.
- Immune Response: The host's immune system tries to recognize and eliminate the pathogen through various mechanisms.
Why is an infection important?
- Global Health Burden: Infections are a major cause of death and illness worldwide, particularly in developing countries.
- Chronic Conditions: Some infections can lead to chronic health problems, impacting quality of life (e.g., Hepatitis B).
- Antimicrobial Resistance: The overuse of antibiotics and other antimicrobials has led to the emergence of resistant pathogens, posing a significant threat.
- Public Health Concern: Understanding how infections spread and implementing control measures is crucial for public health.
What are applications of an infection in practice?
- Diagnosis: Physicians rely on clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, and imaging studies to identify the specific pathogen causing the infection.
- Treatment: Treatment options include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, antiparasitics, and supportive care.
- Prevention: Vaccinations, good hygiene practices, safe food handling, and safe sex are some of the key strategies to prevent infections.
- Outbreak Control: Epidemiologists investigate outbreaks, identify transmission patterns, and recommend interventions to stop the spread.
Example
- The Common Cold: Caused by various viruses, the common cold is a typical example of an upper respiratory tract infection. Symptoms include runny nose, sore throat, and cough. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and allowing the immune system to fight off the virus.
Critical comments
- Overuse of Antibiotics: The overuse of antibiotics for non-bacterial infections contributes to antimicrobial resistance.
- Anti-Vaccination Movement: The spread of misinformation about vaccines hinders public health efforts to prevent infectious diseases.
- Socioeconomic Disparities: Access to clean water, sanitation, and quality healthcare can significantly affect infection rates, highlighting socioeconomic inequalities.
Access:
Public
Click & Go to more related summaries or chapters:
Medicine and health care: The best concepts summarized
Medicine and health care: The best concepts summarized
A short introduction to the best concepts of Medicine and health care: From allergy to vision
Summaries and supporting content:
Access:
Public
This content refers to .....
Medicine and healthcare - Theme
Medicine and healthcare - Theme
Summaries, study notes, internships, tips and tools for study and work in medicine and healthcare
Work for WorldSupporter
JoHo can really use your help! Check out the various student jobs here that match your studies, improve your competencies, strengthen your CV and contribute to a more tolerant world
Check how to use summaries on WorldSupporter.org
Online access to all summaries, study notes en practice exams
- Check out: Register with JoHo WorldSupporter: starting page (EN)
- Check out: Aanmelden bij JoHo WorldSupporter - startpagina (NL)
How and why would you use WorldSupporter.org for your summaries and study assistance?
- For free use of many of the summaries and study aids provided or collected by your fellow students.
- For free use of many of the lecture and study group notes, exam questions and practice questions.
- For use of all exclusive summaries and study assistance for those who are member with JoHo WorldSupporter with online access
- For compiling your own materials and contributions with relevant study help
- For sharing and finding relevant and interesting summaries, documents, notes, blogs, tips, videos, discussions, activities, recipes, side jobs and more.
Using and finding summaries, study notes en practice exams on JoHo WorldSupporter
There are several ways to navigate the large amount of summaries, study notes en practice exams on JoHo WorldSupporter.
- Use the menu above every page to go to one of the main starting pages
- Starting pages: for some fields of study and some university curricula editors have created (start) magazines where customised selections of summaries are put together to smoothen navigation. When you have found a magazine of your likings, add that page to your favorites so you can easily go to that starting point directly from your profile during future visits. Below you will find some start magazines per field of study
- Use the topics and taxonomy terms
- The topics and taxonomy of the study and working fields gives you insight in the amount of summaries that are tagged by authors on specific subjects. This type of navigation can help find summaries that you could have missed when just using the search tools. Tags are organised per field of study and per study institution. Note: not all content is tagged thoroughly, so when this approach doesn't give the results you were looking for, please check the search tool as back up
- Check or follow your (study) organizations:
- by checking or using your study organizations you are likely to discover all relevant study materials.
- this option is only available trough partner organizations
- Check or follow authors or other WorldSupporters
- by following individual users, authors you are likely to discover more relevant study materials.
- Use the Search tools
- 'Quick & Easy'- not very elegant but the fastest way to find a specific summary of a book or study assistance with a specific course or subject.
- The search tool is also available at the bottom of most pages
Do you want to share your summaries with JoHo WorldSupporter and its visitors?
- Check out: Why and how to add a WorldSupporter contributions
- JoHo members: JoHo WorldSupporter members can share content directly and have access to all content: Join JoHo and become a JoHo member
- Non-members: When you are not a member you do not have full access, but if you want to share your own content with others you can fill out the contact form
Quicklinks to fields of study for summaries and study assistance
Field of study
- All studies for summaries, study assistance and working fields
- Communication & Media sciences
- Corporate & Organizational Sciences
- Cultural Studies & Humanities
- Economy & Economical sciences
- Education & Pedagogic Sciences
- Health & Medical Sciences
- IT & Exact sciences
- Law & Justice
- Nature & Environmental Sciences
- Psychology & Behavioral Sciences
- Public Administration & Social Sciences
- Science & Research
- Technical Sciences
Check the related and most recent topics and summaries:
Activity abroad, study field of working area:
Add new contribution