An overview of common infections and diseases Infections & Diseases An overview of common infections and diseases

Athlete’s Foot An infection of the foot caused by fungi. We all the fungi that can cause athlete's foot on our bodies. They feed on dead skin cells and are usually harmless. The fungi love warm, moist places and are primarily a problem for people who wear tight-fitting trainers or don't dry their feet properly. The condition is communicable. It can be spread by direct skin-to-skin contact and indirectly through towels, shoes, floors, etc. Symptoms include: A red itchy rash in the spaces between the toes and possibly small pustules. Often a small degree of scaling. The infection can spread to the rest of the foot and other parts of the body.

Ring Worm It is a communicable condition. It is called ringworm because the infection often appears as a round shape or ring. The general medical name for these infections is 'tinea'. The infection often appears red or silvery, with scales, and is itchy. The edge is red and may be raised. The ring spreads outwards and the centre may heal and go back to a normal skin colour.

Fungal Nail Infection Causes of infections in toenails include wearing trainers or having hot, sweaty feet a lot of the time. Fungi grow easily in warm damp environments. The skin at the base of your nail can become damaged, and therefore more likely to become infected. The nail often becomes thickened and discoloured. The nail can turn white, black, yellow or green in colour. The nail can sometimes become crumbly, with pieces of nail breaking off, or even coming away from the toe or finger completely.

Influenza – The Flu A viral disease which lasts from 3-5 days and can be followed by fatigue for 2-3weeks Can cause: aching muscles and joints, headaches, coughing, fever, chills, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhoea It can become a much more severe illness, leading to pneumonia, nerve and brain damage and even death but such complications are rare. It is possible to get vaccinated against influenza, which is especially advisable for the elderly and people with heart and lung diseases Symptoms can be relieved by not smoking or drinking alcohol. Drinking lots of fluids can help and plenty of bed rest A communicable condition which infects the nose, throat and lungs. Can cause an epidemic which lasts up to 6 weeks.

emphysema A long-term progressive disease of the lungs which causes shortness of breath Lung tissue loses it’s elasticity causing the air sacs to lose their shape Small air ways to the lungs collapse during forced exhalation Sufferers cannot obtain sufficient oxygen nor can they rid the blood of carbon dioxide Primarily caused by long-term exposure to air pollution or smoking

Chronic Heart Disease (CHD) The UK’s biggest killer!!! Results in approxim. 94,000 deaths per year 1 in 5 men and 1 in 7 women die of CHD The blood supply to the heart is stopped by fatty deposits in arteries The fatty deposits are caller ATHEROMA As the fatty deposits build up, the blood flow is slowed causing chest pain known as angina If the coronary artery becomes blocked it can lead to a heart attack (myocardial infarction) Lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of CHD

Cancer Cells in the body begin to grow and reproduce uncontrollable way Often no specific symptoms are evident The cells invade and destroy healthy tissue and organs Most common in Uk are cancer of the: breast, prostate, lung, bowel and bladder. Treatment can include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy More information on: www.nhs.co.uk Conditions, Cancer. THYROID CANCER

Vibrio cholerae Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Transmission to humans is by water or food.

Spread of cholera