There are many factors that influence the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases. Some individuals are more vulnerable to infections, due to other serious health conditions or a weaker immune system. For instance, young children have not yet developed their immune systems. A common cause of immunodeficiency is poor nutrition. This is because great nutrition is needed in order to support the immune response. Moreover, lifestyle choices, for example, stress, has a negative impact on the immune system, and this supports the transmission of micro-organisms.
Environmental factors also have an impact on the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases. These factors include pollution, climate, sanitation and a vector presence. For instance, ticks behave as the vector for Lyme disease in the UK. Climate is a less obvious factor that influences the transmission of infection. For example, heavy rain is an environmental factor that causes flooding, resulting in a sewage overflow. This results in an increased chance of individuals developing a disease.
Social factors increase the chance of transmission and contraction of infectious diseases such as poor housing and poverty. For example, if a house is overcrowded, there is an increased risk to airborne infections. The infections that are more common in poor housing are respiratory infections and enteric diseases e.g. diarrhea. Migration and traveling are social factors that influence the transmission of disease as it results in a greater chance of individuals developing an infection. For example, Typhoid is only in high-risk locations such as Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. Nutrition influences the transmission of infection because if individuals have poor nutrition, they will be more vulnerable to infections but if they have great nutrition, they will be less chance of them developing and transmitting infections.
The transmission and contraction of infectious diseases can be influenced by social factors such as poverty. There are many infectious diseases that are more common to individuals who experience poverty. Evidence that supports this is from the source RESET, 2015 which states The three diseases most commonly linked to poverty HIVAIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis are the cause of six million deaths globally per year. This evidence demonstrates that poverty does have a serious influence on the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases. Moreover, this source states According to the Global Report for Research on Infectious Diseases of Poverty, poverty-related circumstances such as lack of food, shelter, security and social protection make people more vulnerable to infections, while affected populations are often unable to obtain even the most basic means of prevention and care. This clearly indicates that those from social class are more vulnerable and prone to developing infectious diseases, compared to those from upper-class who are wealthier. Poverty and poor housing can have a negative influence on the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases as poor housing can often consist of dampness and mold, causing respiratory problems. Additionally, this source states, According to UNICEF 'malaria is truly a disease of poverty afflicting primarily the poor who tend to live in malaria-prone rural areas in poorly-constructed dwellings that offer few, if any, barriers against mosquitoes. This evidence indicates that individuals who live in poverty and in rural areas don`t have the resources and money they require to reduce the barriers and prevent them from being in contact with infected mosquitoes. This social factor negatively influences the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases as living in poverty consists of a lack of treatment and personal protective equipment (PPE). Evidence that supports this is from the World Economic Forum, 2020 which states, The global community must help LDCs expand PPE and technology for frontline workers, ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential medicines and equitable access to vaccines and medication. Without these resources and financial accountability, will seriously impact the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases such as Coronavirus within poor living countries e.g. Africa and South Korea. For instance, lack of PPE will increase transmission and contraction as it puts the public who live in poverty at a severely high risk of contracting this viral infection, possibly resulting in death.
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On the other hand, to minimize this factor and reduce the risk of transmitting and contracting viral infections like this, more financial accountability needs to be provided to poverty-living countries. This will have a positive influence on society as it enables PPE to be provided, medical treatments to experiment and high-quality care to be given. This will reduce the rates of fatalities within poverty countries. This also suggests that living in poverty can influence the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases by poor nutrition. This is because those that live in poverty are more likely to eat unhealthy as the food is known to be cheaper. Evidence that supports this is from the source World Health Organisation which states Tuberculosis can be prevented by improving nutrition and can be treated with DOTS therapy. This can detect and cure disease in up to 95 percent of infectious patients, even in the poorest countries. This suggests that this factor can have a positive influence as good nutrition reduces the likelihood of the transmission and contraction of bacterial infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis. This factor can also have a positive influence as it`s a preventative measure to support the reduction of transmission and contraction of infectious diseases. This will minimize the likelihood of infectious diseases in the overall population, resulting in an improvement of overall health. Increasing the price of fast foods which are unhealthy and reducing the price of healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables would be a great preventative measure. This would encourage individuals within the public to spend less and eat healthier food which will be successful as it will benefit the overall health of the population. This would reduce the number of infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis and other diseases and problems such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Minimizing the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases would prevent individuals from experiencing heart disease and high blood pressure.
The climate is an environmental factor that influences the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases. Being in contact, for example, drinking contaminated water can expose individuals to waterborne infections. Contaminated water can be caused by a range of factors such as weather events or incorrect disposal of sewage wastes. Climate can influence the transmission and contraction of waterborne diseases such as cholera and poliomyelitis because if there is heavy rain, sewage overflow can cause these diseases. This is negatively influenced by this factor as some individuals in poorer countries have a lack of knowledge due to financial stability regarding the climate. For instance, without having any knowledge about the climate, the population in some countries doesn`t understand what the right or wrong disposal of sewage waste is. This then influences the transmission and contraction of water-borne diseases as individuals could be contaminating the water if disposed of incorrectly. Similarly, this environmental factor negatively influences the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases such as Cholera as micro-organisms thrive of cold conditions in order to support them with growth. This means that when bacteria grow in reservoirs of infections such as humans, this can influence the transmission and contraction by encountering food that`s been in contact with an infected individual and drinking contaminated water. In contrast, the climate can positively influence the reduction of transmission and contraction of infectious diseases by numerous ways. According to NHS, 2018 there are many factors that will help minimize the influence that the climate has on infectious diseases. This source states, to wash your hands with soap and water regularly, especially after using the toilet and before preparing food or eating, only drink tap water that's been boiled or bottled water, and brush your teeth using bottled or boiled water. This evidence shows the importance of protecting all individuals from infectious diseases by carrying out these preventative measures daily, ensuring the levels of transmission and contraction is being reduced.
In contrast, the climate can influence the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases through vector-borne. Evidence that supports this is from the source Stanford University, 2019 which states, Mordecai`s research has found that warmer temperatures increase transmission of the vector-borne disease up to an optimum temperature. This clearly shows that the climate does influence the transmission and contraction of vector-borne diseases such as Malaria, as mosquitoes are more common in hot countries such as Asia and Africa. For instance, malaria is most likely to spread at 25 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit). This economic factor influences the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases as this is where vector-borne diseases occur the most. This climate condition has a negative impact on reservoirs of infection such as humans or vectors such as ticks because humans may be asymptomatic and therefore, show no symptoms of the infectious disease. This can have a severe impact on the human population as being asymptomatic means that there is no control of the infectious disease as it will be extremely difficult to identify when the transmission and contraction occur between humans and vectors. According to NHS, 2018 malaria is spread by Once you're bitten, the parasite enters the bloodstream and travels to the liver...the parasites grow and multiply in the red blood cells...the infected blood cells burst, releasing more parasites into the blood... Each time they burst, you'll have a bout of fever, chills and sweating. In addition to this, vectors such as mosquitoes can contract infectious diseases such as Malaria by biting an infected human (usually at dusk and dawn), and they can transmit this disease to other individuals. Malaria, however, cannot be transmitted directly from one individual to another. To minimize the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases within a warm climate, individuals should be aware of the risks regarding malaria prior to traveling and whether they will need prevention tablets. In order to do this, individuals should seek to a medical expert to gain advice and guidance regarding the different forms of tablets that they may be entitled to. Another factor that can have a positive influence on the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases such as Malaria is to gain access to resources that prevent mosquitoes from biting such as insect repellent and always seek to a doctor if individuals experience any symptoms of vector-borne diseases. Overall, this evidence demonstrates how the transmission and contraction of vector-borne diseases are influenced by warm climates.
Air pollution is another environmental factor that influences the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases. There is an association between air pollution and the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases because air pollution can contain harmful chemicals that have an influence on the growth of micro-organisms, enabling them to enter and spread around the body. Evidence that supports this is from the source Medical News Today, 2017 which states, New research suggests that air pollution may have an effect on human health by altering bacteria. It shows that black carbon, a major component of air pollution, dramatically changes how bacteria grow and form biofilms, which can affect their survival in the lining of airways and their resistance to antibiotics. This shows that the agent of infection, bacteria, is influenced by black carbon which is a harmful chemical produced by air pollution. This evidence suggests that air pollution influences the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases as it prevents the treatment that supports the infectious disease from working effectively. Moreover, this source states, According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is the largest environmental risk factor for human disease. They estimate that in 2012, around 1 in 8 deaths worldwide were due to exposure to air pollution. This clearly demonstrates that air pollution can have a severe negative influence on the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases and have even resulted in death. This suggests that individuals who live in urban areas will have an increased chance of transmitting and contracting infectious diseases as this is where the most air pollution occurs. According to the source World Health Organisation, It is well documented that air pollution is a leading cause of human morbidity and mortality globally, and it can increase the risk of numerous diseases, including respiratory disease. Although air pollution is not the main cause of respiratory infections, it does have an influence on their transmission and contraction of them. Additionally, the agents that can cause respiratory infections are bacteria, viruses and fungi and this environmental factor, air pollution, influences the transmission of micro-organisms which individuals can then contract.
To minimize the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases in an area where there is a lot of air pollution, individuals should take fewer car journeys when they can, meaning that they should walk wherever possible. This will positively influence the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases because it will make a dramatic improvement of the overall health of the population and will, therefore, reduce the rates of transmission and contraction of infectious diseases. This would be successful as it ensures that not only humans are being benefitted, but the environment and economy too. According to The Guardian, 2016, The report linked polluted air to cancer, asthma, stroke, and heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and dementia, and calculated that NHS, business, and other costs in the UK came to more than £20bn a year. This indicates that minimizing the barriers that we face with air pollution, will put less pressure on both the government and individuals. This is because if people walk more and drive less, these infectious diseases can be prevented which will, therefore, have a positive influence on the transmission and contraction if infectious diseases within society. Moreover, this money that they`re providing to treat the diseases that air pollution is causing will be able to be provided to individuals who experience infectious diseases which cannot be prevented. Overall, air pollution does have a serious influence on the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases as it is causing an annual rise in morbidity rates, however, this can be prevented by taking journeys wisely and avoiding moving to busy areas e.g. London, as this will support and reduce the transmission and contraction of infectious diseases.
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