Diseases: Interactions between Different Types of Disease

Diseases: Interactions between Different Types of Disease

  • Understand that diseases can interact, with one disease often making the individual more susceptible to others.

  • Recognize how malnourishment can lead to a deficient immune response, increasing an individual’s susceptibility to infectious diseases.

  • Understand how immune responses can trigger symptoms of autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

  • Comprehend the concept of how HIV/AIDS damages the immune system and often leads to other infections or diseases due to the weakened immune system of the individual.

  • Note that physical barriers, like the skin and mucus in the lungs, often prevent disease. When these are damaged, by burns or bronchitis for instance, the risk of infection increases.

  • Be aware that some bacteria, like those causing meningitis, secrete toxins that damage the membranes around the brain, increasing the risk for other infections.

  • Understand that diseases do not only interact within a single organism but can also have an impact in populations, e.g., measles compromising the immune system can lead to increases in other diseases within a population.

  • Note the occurrence of co-infection, where a person can be infected by two or more different pathogens at the same time, each potentially affecting the course and outcome of the others (e.g., HIV and Tuberculosis).

  • Learn the importance of vaccination, not just to prevent the target disease, but also to reduce the risk of others (herd immunity).

  • Be aware that mental health can impact physical health, impacting the course and outcome of physical diseases.

  • Recognize the role of human behavior in disease transmission, with lifestyles and habits often creating conditions in which diseases can thrive.

  • Understand how societal factors such as poverty and lack of access to quality healthcare can increase vulnerability to diseases.

  • It’s important to consider the implications of antimicrobial resistance in terms of disease interactions, as resistant strains can compromise the treatment of other infections.