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Bacteria are everywhere, in the air, in water and on foods and vegetation. They can be found almost all over your skin, in your body orifices, under your nails and in your hair, etc. Bacteria can live anywhere there I organic matter, a moderate temperature and moisture. The majority of the bacteria are harmless but some can cause very serious disease. Even your kin is covered with potential pus-forming germs (staphylococcus) so that when you cut yourself these germs will rush in to create an infection.
There is a way to prevent many diseases caused by pathogenic germ organisms and that is to just stop them from entering our bodies. There are many ways to prevent these organisms from entering. There are viruses, protozoa, fungi, and rickettsiae plus other germs just waiting to find a host. Naturally, they will find other hosts than man but man is what concerns us in this article. When germs do not have a way to live outside the body they will die. They are subject to sunlight, drying out, unfavorable temperatures and other factors of the environment. They are very adaptable to conditions that change around them.
These germs of disease like to have a natural place to exist from where they can spread an infection and this is called a "reservoir." The reservoir can be the human body or just simply the environment. For the disease germs to spread from one reservoir to another they need some assistance from an animal "vector" sometimes. The vector itself is not usually harmed. The mosquite carries the vector malaria and one man can pick up the malaria disease germ from another and then carry it to someone else. Cows can be infected with disease germs and man drinks the milk the cow produces and can acquire the germ disease. Animal meats can carry disease germs if the animal is infected already and by eating the meat man can obtain the germ disease. Germs like to get out of your body once they enter as they want to reproduce. Tuberculosis germs can enter your mouth and nose as one method. The typhoid fever germ enters through the mouth and leaves by the rectum. After these germs leave your body they are in the air, dust, water and in soil. Sometimes they are destroyed by sunshine or unfavorable temperatures or other bacteria will feed upon them.
There are small pathogens that can be carried in the air from one human to another. Bacteria are a diverse group of pathogens known as "disease-producers." By handling an object that has been contaminated with disease germs one person can be infected in this method of transmission. The common cold is transferred in this way by the rhinovirus. There are some viruses as those that cause hepatitis B and AIDS that are transmitted in infected blood, semen, or another body fluid will enter a person's blood stream. A way of preventing the transfer of these diseases involves education of persons involving types of contact with another person who is already infected or is suspected of carrying these diseases. There is a technique called aseptic that involves killing or disabling pathogens on surfaces before they can spread to other people. This involves methods of sterilization, disinfection, antisepsis and isolation of those with the various diseases.
The body does have some defense barriers against disease to keep germs out. Having a good sanitary control of the environment can prevent the bacterial infection. The various body defenses are, your skin, mucous membranes, your acid and other secretions. Other body defenses are your white corpuscles, lumph nodes, and your blood antibodies. The reaction between the germs and the body represent a disease. There are certain breeding places for germs such dirt and filthy conditions especially in the home. Cleaning around counter tops, bathrooms and all areas of the household will help prevent these disease germs from breeding.
Controlling flies in the home or other insects that carry disease germs will help prevent spreading of disease germs. If someone in the home area is ill and the disease is contagious then you will need to sterilize or disinfect contaminated premises and isolate the person. Keep the contact with them and with carriers down to a minimum. Keeping your body in good health and clean is one of the most important of all barriers against germs spreading disease.
There are some pathogenic organisms found on the skin and mucous membranes on most every human. As an example the fungi that cause athlete's foot can be present on the skin of a person who does not have this infection. If the skin is kept warm and moist the fungi will reproduce and create the infection. Disease germs can be kept from spreading by proper cleaning and aseptic treatment. It is necessary to not promote conditions that promote the spread of infection disease germs. The skin is covered with an acid coat that is left by sweat and this acidity and the oily film from your sebaceous glands will protect you from disease germ invasion. There are secretions such as mucus in the nose, acid gastric juices or tears in your eyes that will destroy or wash away germs. There are hairs at the entrance of your nose to screen out germs. When you sneeze and cough large numbers of bacteria are expelled. You need to always cover your face when sneezing or coughing to avoid spreading any germs present in this expulsion.
Antibiotics and immunizations need to be mentioned as there are some diseases that when you are exposed to them you may get in preventing these disease bacteria germs from swelling and then dividing. Some people are immune to certain diseases and germs but no one possess a general immunity to all diseases. Vaccines are killed or attenuated (weakened) pathogen that is given to a person to stimulate immunity. This is a way to stimulate a person's own immune system to develop resistance to a particular pathogen such as chicken pox, measles or mumps.
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