Maharashtra Board Class 5 EVS Part I Chapter 23 Infectious Diseases and how to Prevent them PDF Download

Infectious Diseases and How to Prevent Them

Can You Tell?

(1) When your friends fall while playing and get hurt, does anyone tell you, 'Don't go near them, you will also get hurt'?

(2) Suppose your mother has a headache. Do you also get a headache if you go near her?

(3) When is it that you are told not to go near a sick person, not to use their utensils for eating or drinking; not to use their hankies, towels or clothes?

Infectious Diseases

Mother's burns or Grandpa's backache are not passed on from them to others.

However, one has to take care to stay away from people who are ill with the flu (influenza), cold, ringworm, scabies, chickenpox. These diseases spread from one person to the other. Such diseases are called infectious diseases.

What Causes These Diseases?

They are caused by micro-organisms. Every infectious disease is caused by a specific micro-organism or germ. When the germs of a particular disease enter the body and begin to grow, the person gets the disease.

How is One Person's Disease Passed on to Another Person?

When a person has a cold, the germs from his body spread in the air when he coughs or sneezes. When these germs enter other people's body, they can also get the disease. That is, the disease spreads.

Typhoid spreads when its germs are passed on by a person ill with typhoid to another person.

Teacher's Note

When someone in your family gets a cold, you should cover your nose and mouth. In India, many people get cold during winter months.

Exam Trick

Remember: Infectious disease = spreads from person to person. Non-infectious disease = does not spread. A mother's headache is not infectious, but cold is infectious.

Points to Remember

Infectious diseases spread from one person to another.
Micro-organisms or germs cause infectious diseases.
When germs enter the body, the person gets sick.
Cold, flu, and chickenpox are examples of infectious diseases.
Burns and backache do not spread to others.

Spread of Infectious Diseases

What Are the Different Ways in Which Infectious Diseases Spread?

Spread of Disease Through Air

The germs of a disease like influenza are present in the spit or saliva of the person who has the disease. When he coughs or spits they enter the air with the tiny droplets of saliva or spit. When other people breathe in that same air, the germs enter their bodies.

Diseases of the throat and the chest spread through the air, for example, a cold and cough, tuberculosis, swine flu, etc. That is why we are told to cover our nose and mouth when we cough or sneeze.

Do not cough or spit in the open.

Teacher's Note

Always cover your mouth with your hand or a cloth when you cough. In India, many people suffer from tuberculosis which spreads through the air.

Exam Trick

Remember: Air-borne diseases = cough and sneeze spread them. Always cover your nose and mouth, just like how doctors wear masks in hospitals.

Points to Remember

Germs spread through air when a person coughs or sneezes.
Cold, cough, and tuberculosis spread through the air.
We must cover our nose and mouth when we cough.
We should not spit in open places.
Other people breathe in the germs in the air.

Spread of Disease Through Water

The germs of diseases of the intestines like typhoid, cholera, diarrhoea as also of jaundice, are present in the faeces of the affected person. If the faeces get mixed with water the germs in it also enter the water. If another person drinks water which has been contaminated by these germs, they enter his intestines too, and that person can get the disease. To prevent the spread of disease in this manner, it is best to avoid washing clothes and bathing in the water sources or defecating on the banks of the water, etc.

It is our responsibility to prevent the pollution of public sources of water.

Can You Tell?

What different activities are going on in the above picture?

Teacher's Note

Clean water is very important for our health. In many villages in India, people get sick because they drink dirty water from rivers and lakes.

Exam Trick

Remember: Water-borne diseases = typhoid and cholera. Always drink boiled water, especially during monsoon season in India.

Points to Remember

Typhoid, cholera, and diarrhoea spread through dirty water.
Germs from faeces mix with water and contaminate it.
We must not defecate near water sources.
We should not wash clothes in rivers or lakes.
Clean water keeps us healthy.

Spread of Disease Through Food

You may have heard of a number of people getting 'gastro' or diarrhoea after eating contaminated food at a function. Diseases spread through food also. This is also called food poisoning.

Can You Tell?

What do you see in the picture below?

You have seen flies sitting on dirt. When they sit on the faeces of a person who has an intestinal disease, the germs of the disease stick to their legs. When the same flies sit on our food, the germs enter the food. If we eat that food, the germs enter our body and we can get the disease. That is why it is important to always keep our food covered.

Food is handled while preparing or serving it. If someone who has an intestinal disease handles or serves food without washing his hands properly, the germs sticking to his hands can enter the food. Food contaminated in this way can also cause disease. One must avoid eating it. Maintaining cleanliness everywhere is beneficial for our health.

Wash Your Hands Clean. Keep Food Covered.

Can You Tell?

What steps will you take to ensure that dust and flies do not settle on the food in your house?

Keeping food covered ensures that flies cannot sit on it, dust and other rubbish in the surroundings also cannot enter it. This prevents the micro-organisms from entering the food and the spread of disease is also prevented.

Teacher's Note

Always cover your food with a cloth or lid. In India, many families get sick during summer because flies sit on uncovered food.

Exam Trick

Remember: Flies carry germs on their legs. When flies sit on food, they leave germs behind. Cover food like you cover your mouth when you cough.

Points to Remember

Flies carry germs and spread disease to food.
We must always keep food covered.
Unwashed hands can spread germs to food.
Diarrhoea and gastro spread through dirty food.
Food handlers must wash their hands properly.

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