This is a DISTINCTION assignment marked by Pearson BTEC exam board. It is learning aim B- examine the transmission of infectious diseases and how this can be prevented.
Please use this assignment as a guide and do not copy and paste as you will be marked down by the examiners due to PLAGIARISM.
Learning aim B: Examine the transmission of infectious diseases and how this
can be prevented.
Measles is caused by a virus that causes respiratory disease which is most common in
children. It can stay in the throat and mucus for about four day when a person has been
infected with it and the rash can appear after four days. Measles is transmitted through
direct contact with airborne particles such as when a person coughs or sneezes. The
droplets can remain in the air for many hours and if it is on surfaces it can remain for about
two hours. When a person catches measles, the symptoms can appear 8 to 12 days later
and some of them are fever, runny nose, cough and watery eyes.
There could be some complications of measles such as if a person is dehydrated so has lost a
large amount of water then they will have diarrhea and vomiting. There could also
developed an ear infection. In addition, measles can lead to irritation and swelling of the
airways and an infection in the lungs called bronchitis. If a pregnant woman has measles it
will have an impact on the baby such as premature birth, fetal death and low birth weight.
Measles can also affect the brain which is rare and cause swelling of the brain called
encephalitis and this can happen to 1 in 1,000 people . Another complication is febrile
seizure which is when a child gets a fever.
To prevent measles, it is best to get vaccinated as a child and this vaccine is known as the
MMR vaccine. The MMR vaccine contains dead pathogens from measles, mumps and
rubella. The first dose should be given to a child when they are 12-15 months old and the
second dose when they are 4-6 years old. However, there may be some side effects from
the vaccine such as redness, soreness, swelling, fever, mild rash and stiffness in joints .
Another side effect of the MMR vaccine is that the area where the needle is inserted will be
red, swollen or will feel sore for about 2 to 3 days. Also, babies or young children are most
likely to have a fever after 7 to 11 days of getting the vaccine; the fever will last for 2 to 3
days . When a person has it first dose of the vaccine the effectiveness of it is about 93%
when the first dose is at 12 months but they are most likely to respond to the second dose .
The second dose of the vaccine is 97% effective .
The MMR vaccine is provided free of charge to children in the UK by the NHS. However, the
vaccine costs between £45 and £90 and there must a four-week gap between the two doses
of the vaccine. The problem with this is that not everyone will be able to afford it as a result,
they will not be able to receive measles vaccination.
Another method of preventing measles is to cover your mouth when coughing and your
nose with a tissue when you sneezing, then immediately throw away the tissue with the
pathogens and wash your hands. It is essential to wash hands with soap and water for
nearly 30 seconds or to use an alcohol hand sanitizer if soar is not available. However, it
may not be effective because a person may throw away a tissue but then not wash hands
their hands, allowing the disease to spread because a person can touch or hug another
person. Another way to avoid it is to immediately clean the surface you have touched then
, later wash your hands with soap and water. However, it may not be effective because the
person may forget to clean the surface, allowing the disease to be spread. Another way to
avoid it is to not share personal items such as towel or toothbrush which could be
contaminated with infectious diseases.
Chickenpox also known as varicella is a contagious disease transmitted by the varicella
zoster virus VZV. It mainly affects children, but it can also affect adults. A person can get it if
they never had the disease or unvaccinated. Chicken symptoms are fever, aches, pains and
loss of appetite. Spots can appear behind the ears, face, scalp, chest, belly, arms and legs.
Chicken pox has three stages in which the spots appear anywhere on the body either inside
the mouth and around the genitals. The spots can be red or pink and can spread or remain
in a small area. The second stage is when the spots turn into blisters which can be itchy and
burst. The last stage is when the spots form a flaky scab while others leak fluid.
Chickenpox is spread through direct contact with a person who has the disease such as
touching a blister or the liquid from a blister. It can be spread through the air if a person is
near someone who is sneezing and coughing and is infected by chickenpox. Another way it
can be spread is if a pregnant woman catches the disease; she can pass it to the baby both
before birth and after birth. It can also be spread by touching the saliva of someone who has
chickenpox.
To prevent chickenpox, people should avoid being in the same room or house as the
infected person. Children are at a high risk of contracting the disease at school so parents
should send their child to school if they are infected, as it contagious. Vaccination is another
method of preventing chickenpox. People undergoing cancer treatment are at risk of getting
the disease, so they should avoid contact with infected people who have chickenpox. .
The best way to prevent chickenpox is by getting a vaccine. However, the vaccine can harm
people who have a weak immune system. It is important for people to get two doses of the
vaccination to be immune. In some cases, a vaccinated person can catch chickenpox but the
symptoms will be milder such no fever or a few red spots. When getting the chickenpox
vaccine there could be some side effects such soreness and redness where the injection was
done, a mild rash and high temperature. Around 1 in a million vaccinated people can get a
rare allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
To get vaccinated a person has to pay either at a private clinic or travel clinic which costs
between £120 and £200. The disadvantage of this is not everyone will be able to afford it as
a result they will not be able to get the vaccination. Therefore, they will be at risk of getting
the vaccine and spread it around. This is a risk as if the disease spreads it can become a
pandemic where there could possibly be deaths.
Gonorrhoea is an infection sexually transmitted caused by a bacteria called Neisseria
gonorrhoeae or gonococcus. Gonorrhoea is spread by the bacteria found in penis and
vaginal discharge and in vaginal fluid. It can be passed from mother to child during birth
through unprotected vaginal sex and it causes blindness in a newborn baby. The bacteria
can infect the entrance to the womb, the tube that passes urine out of the body, the rectum
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller lorainekengne7. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $15.18. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
