Question

What are the principles of the treatment of infectious diseases?

Answer 1

Hint: Infectious diseases or communicable diseases are caused by pathogens like viruses, bacteria, fungi, algae, etc. Pathogens infect the organism via vectors that are usually living organisms, most probably a pest that carries pathogens to its host.

Complete answer:
Principles of Treatment
There are two ways to treat infectious diseases
-Reduce the effects of the disease: It can be done by providing treatment to reduce the symptoms which are usually because of inflammation. Medicines that will reduce pain or bring down fever may also be given for symptomatic relief. Bed rest may be advised.
However, symptomatic treatment may be inadequate, as it will not eliminate the pathogen from the body. For a complete cure, the pathogen has to be killed.
-To kill the actual cause of the disease i.e. Pathogens: The most common method used to kill the pathogens is using medicines called antibiotics to destroy the microbes. We may have to choose between a drug effective against many microbes or a specific drug that is effective against a specific group of microbes.
Treatment depends on which microorganism causes the infection.
-If a bacteria causes a disease, treatment with antibiotics usually kills the bacteria and cures the infection. Viral infections however are usually treated with supportive therapies and some antiviral medications.
Fungal and parasitic infections require antifungal medications and antiparasitic drugs respectively.

Additional Information
A disease occurs when the functioning of one or more organs or systems of the body is adversely affected, characterised by various signs and symptoms.
The disease is broadly classified as:
-Congenital diseases: These are the diseases that are present since birth and maybe also inherited. For example, Cleft lip and cleft palate, down’s syndrome, etc.
-Acquired diseases: These diseases occur after birth and are acquired by a person during their lifetime.
Acquired Diseases are further classified as:
- Infectious diseases: Also known as Communicable diseases. These are diseases which spread from an infected person to a healthy person. For example, TB.
-Non-infectious diseases: Also known as Non-communicable Diseases. These are the diseases that are not transmitted from one person to another. For example, diabetes, hypertension.
Another classification is based on the type of pathogens that cause the disease like bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic diseases.

Note:
-Many pathogens can be stopped by using several preventive measures.
-It is harder to make antiviral drugs than to make antibacterial medicines because viruses have very few biochemical mechanisms of their own and rely on the host cells for duplication.
-Viral cells also undergo frequent mutations which make it difficult to develop antiviral drugs.