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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

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

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

8. 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.

9. 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.