Child Health A-Z

Infectious Diseases

Fighting infectious diseases today is much easier than in the past. With proper hygiene and proper precautions, in addition to numerous vaccines and rapidly advancing medical technology, people are better equipped than ever to avoid getting sick.

Picture of a model of a strand of DNA, magnified

Prevention is the key to fighting many infectious diseases. Part of preventing the spread of an infectious disease includes proper handwashing techniques; taking certain precautions, depending on the disease; following the nationally recommended immunization schedule for children and adults, and taking medications correctly.

Even with proper prevention, sometimes a disease is unavoidable. Some reasons include evolution of drug-resistant strains of a disease; changes in a person's environment; increased travel; inappropriate use of prescription drugs, and lack of attention to proper personal hygiene.

Last Update
October 10, 2008

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