• Question: What illnesses are contagious

    Asked by 596thaf37 to Christie, Dan, David, Dawn, Sian on 21 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Dawn Lau

      Dawn Lau answered on 21 Jun 2016:


      Lots of illnesses are contagious! Here is a list of infectious diseases: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_infectious_diseases

      Most of the time, infections are spread through bodily fluids from sneezing or coughing and touching your face, etc. Some of the more common contagious infections are the common cold, flu, chicken pox, and measles.

    • Photo: Christie Waddington

      Christie Waddington answered on 21 Jun 2016:


      There is a difference between contagious and infectious though, before you get confused!

      Infectious diseases are caused by microscopic germs e.g. bacteria or viruses that cause problems once they are in the body. However, not all infectious diseases are contagious. If a disease is contagious, it means that is spread from person to person.

      An example of a non-contagious infectious disease in Lyme disease, which is spread from insect to human, but NOT from human to human.

    • Photo: Sian Thomas

      Sian Thomas answered on 21 Jun 2016:


      And my favorite one (which I spend time working with) is Norovirus aka winter vomiting disease. This is contagious rather than infectious – and generally self limiting. Usually it lasts 24-48 h and to minimize spreading you should limit contact with others (no school, work etc) for at least 48h after the last symptom! Yuk ?

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