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Clinical Diseases of Public Health Significance

A clinical disease is a disease that can be diagnosed with signs and symptoms that are recognizable by a doctor versus subclinical, which does not manifest with symptoms or is in an early stage without symptoms. Many of these clinical diseases are communicable and can pose a significant risk to the public if not controlled or contained.

  1. Influenza

    • Influenza, or the flu, is a common disease caused by a variety of viruses that can be passed through person-to-person contact, by touching something that the virus is residing or by fluid droplets in the air. Strains of the flu including bird and H1N1 can be deadly to a wide variety of ages, while the more common strains can be deadly to the very young, elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Symptoms may include fever, congestion, vomiting, diarrhea and aches and pains. While there are a handful of medicines available to shorten the duration, most viral infections must run their course. Vaccines can help prevent flu.

    Tuberculosis

    • Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease that spreads by tiny droplets in the air and is highly contagious. The bacteria affect the lungs by destroying the lung tissue, but can also manifest in other parts of the body including the bones and brain. Symptoms of the active form of tuberculosis in the lungs include prolonged coughing for more than three weeks, coughing up blood, extreme tiredness and chest pains. Tuberculosis can be fatal if left untreated. Treatment includes a regimen of antibiotics that may last for several months.

    AIDS

    • Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus and has no cure. The virus attacks the white blood cells making the patient more susceptible to infection and other diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis, which the body would normally be able to fend off. AIDS is transmitted through the bloodstream via bodily fluid such as blood, semen and saliva. According to Mayo Clinic, the virus infects more than 39.5 million people. There is no cure, but treatments help boost the immune system and weaken the disease by reducing the amount of virus in the bloodstream.

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