Analyze the role of public health in the prevention of infectious diseases.

Public health measures toward prevention Safe water-US water is purified through settling, filtration, and chlorination Sewage treatment and disposal is mandated by US government\] Food safety-US has many standards, inspection plans and regulations dealing food preparation, handling, and distribution

Animal control programs-Domestic herds are inspected, rabid animals are destroyed, rat control programs in place in urban areas Vaccination programs mandate that children be vaccinated prior to school Pesticides to block vector-borne disease – those carried by mosquitoes

Public health organizations enforce regulation, provide public health services National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supports health-related research Centers for Disease Control (CDC)-investigates disease outbreaks, publishes reports, sponsors education/ research, reference labs . Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-monitors safety of food, medicines and other products

World Health Organization (WHO)-provides international surveillance and control of disease

Benefits of public health research New research techniques-rapid identification HIV protease inhibitors Vaccine research Identification of better preventative measures

Host Defense against infectious diseases non-specific: the body’s primary defense against infectious disease. They include: anatomical barriers physiological deterrents normal flora

specific mechanisms: enables the body to target particular pathogens and pathogen infected cells for destruction immunity: hosts encounters an antigen that triggers a specific immune response the second time the antigen is encountered.

vaccinations: either a weakened or killed strain of a particular pathogen is introduced to produce a rapid activation of immune cells to prevent disease. The host’s immune system will produce antibody to the specific antigen from the pathogen. The antibody responds each time the host encounters the antigen.