Work Force Preparation

Person-to-Person Disease Transmission

Disease transmission occurs from person to person through direct contact such as shaking hands , sexual contact , or exposure to bacteria released in mucous by coughing or sneezing . Sharing of hypodermic needles transmits disease from one user into the bloodstream of the recipient . Ingestion of contaminated food passed amongst groups of people and contact with human fecal material are other person-to-person modes of bacterial and viral transmission

Decreasing the incidence of disease transmission can take place in the following ways

Hand-washing removes bacteria that is transferred to mucous

membranes the portal for bacteria and viruses . In a randomised , controlled study involving 300 households in Pakistan , conducted over a period of one year , study results showed a 53 decrease in pneumonia in children under the age of 5 when hand-washing with plain soap was performed regularly (Luby et al , 2005 . Hand-sanitizing dispensers placed in schools and workplaces are being used more often and do not require extensive installation or maintenance costs . The use of this design of hand-washing system in a public place is most likely not feasible due to theft of the dispensers and higher cost of maintenance . Washing hands with water only , without using soap , is not as effective at reducing bacteria and viruses from hands . Alternatives , such as using hand-washing devices similar in design to public water fountains require study to assess public response . The public would require evidence that the health benefits , if any , outweigh the expense of water maintenance and product costs

Disease transmission through sexual contact can be controlled by the use of condoms , sexual abstinence and sexual satisfaction through non-invasive means . A social stigma is to providing detailed sex education to anyone , particularly young people who are about to become sexually active , which impairs education about this form of disease transmission . In an attempt to overcome this stigma , educators view the physical process of disease transmission through sexual contact as a component of general health education and have incorporated this in the school curriculum of most North American schools . In a 1995 study of 598 adults (323 male and 275 female , 21 reported using a condom each time they had sexual intercourse over a period of 30 days (Zenilman et al , 1995 . Education and social acceptance that disease is transmitted through sexual contact may increase use of condoms and aid in decreasing this type of disease transmission

Needle-sharing amongst the illicit drug-using population contributes to disease transmission . It has been estimated that millions of people are infected with hepatitis B , hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus every year as a result of unsafe needle-sharing practices (Kane , Lloyd Zaffran , Simonsen Kane , 1999 . Needle exchange programs have been established in many cities throughout the world with varying degrees of success . Longitudinal studies would contribute to understanding how such clinics are used by the population they are trying to assist , and would potentially yield information to assist with future improvement

Blood transfusions are another means of disease transmission . In developed countries measures have been...