Modes of Transmission of Diseases

Some diseases, like influenza (flu), spread through the air. When a person who has the disease coughs, sneezes, or spits, tiny droplets of saliva or spit come out of their mouth. These tiny droplets contain germs (like bacteria or viruses) from their body. The germs mix with the air, and if another person breathes in that same air, the germs can enter their body, making them sick too.

• Diseases that affect the throat and chest, like tuberculosis, swine flu, and influenza, can spread through the air.
• For example, if someone with swine flu sneezes in a room, the germs float in the air. When other people breathe in, they might catch the disease.
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze to prevent the spread of diseases through the air.
• This prevents germs from spreading into the air and protects other people from getting sick.

Do not cough or spit in the open

• Diseases like typhoid, cholera, diarrhoea, and jaundice spread through contaminated water.
• The germs that cause these diseases are present in the faeces (poop) of the person who has the disease.
• If these faeces get mixed with a water source, such as a river, pond, or well, the germs enter the water.
• When someone drinks contaminated water (water with germs in it), the germs enter their intestines and can make them sick.
• For example, if someone drinks water from a well that has been contaminated with germs from a sick person’s faeces, they could get cholera or diarrhoea.

To stop the spread of diseases through water, it is important to:

• Avoid washing clothes or bathing in rivers, ponds, or wells used for drinking water.
• Do not defecate (poop) near water sources.
• Always boil or purify drinking water to kill any harmful germs.
• Make sure to wash your hands properly after using the toilet and before eating.

Sometimes, many people get sick with gastro or diarrhoea after eating contaminated food at a function or party. This is known as food poisoning.

• Food poisoning happens when germs enter our food and make it unsafe to eat.
• Flies often sit on dirty things, like garbage or even faeces (poop) from someone with an intestinal disease.
• When the flies sit in these dirty places, germs from the faeces stick to their legs.
• If the same flies sit on our uncovered food, they leave the germs on it.
• When we eat that contaminated food, the germs enter our bodies and can make us sick.
• When someone with an intestinal disease touches or handles food without properly washing their hands, the germs from their hands can get into the food.
• If other people eat that food, they can also get sick from the germs.
• This is why it’s important to always wash hands thoroughly before preparing or serving food.

To Prevent Diseases from Spreading Through Food:

• Always keep food covered so that flies and dust cannot land on it.
• Cleanliness is very important when preparing or serving food.
• Make sure that the food you eat is fresh and well-cooked.
• Avoid eating food that looks spoilt or has been left out uncovered.

Wash your hands clean. Keep food covered

Some insects, like mosquitoes and fleas, can carry germs that make us sick.

• For example, a person can get malaria from the bite of a special type of mosquito.
• When a mosquito bites someone who has malaria, it sucks blood from that person.
• The malaria germs in the person’s blood enter the mosquito's body.
• When an infected mosquito bites another person, the mosquito's germs enter that person's body.
• This is how the disease spreads from one person to another.
• Besides mosquitoes, insects like fleas can also spread diseases. They carry germs from one person or animal to another through their bites.

To stop diseases from spreading, we need to prevent insects like mosquitoes from breeding. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water (standing water), so it’s important to:

• Remove stagnant water from around our homes (like water in buckets, pots, or puddles).
• Cover water containers so mosquitoes can’t lay their eggs in them.
• Use mosquito nets and repellents to avoid mosquito bites.

• Some diseases, like ringworm and scabies, affect the skin. The germs that cause these diseases live on the skin of the person who is sick.
• If someone touches the skin of a person who has ringworm or scabies, they can catch the disease because the germs spread through direct contact.
• The germs can also spread if you wear clothes or use towels that belong to the person with the disease.
• This is why it's important not to share clothes or personal items with someone who has a skin disease.

To stop the spread of skin diseases, avoid touching someone who has a skin infection like ringworm or scabies.

• Do not share clothes, towels, or bedding with someone who has a skin disease.
• Always keep your skin clean by bathing regularly and washing your hands.