Childhood infectious diseases

Many of the most known diseases of childhood – chickenpox, measles, rubella and mumps, whooping cough scarlet fever and poliomyelitis – are highly infectious diseases that can be passed easily from person to person. Some of these diseases are very serious indeed. The diagnosis of these diseases is made on the basis of their characteristic symptoms and signs.

Measles. Its signs and symptoms are: fever, cough, sneezing, inflamed eyes, sore throat, tiny white spots on the lining of the cheek, and rash. Measles, also known as rubeola, is a common childhood illness, although adults are also susceptible. The virus that causes the disorder is transmitted by inhalation of infecting droplets such as from a sneeze. Measles is most contagious before the rash appears, making it difficult to avoid the disease. Until the rash disappears, you still can pass it to others. Once you have had measles, you are permanently immune and will not contract the disease again.

Rubella, also known as German measles or three-day measles, is an infection caused by the rubella virus. This disease is often mild with half of people not realizing that they are sick. In children, rubella is a fairly mild illness. However, rubella infection during the first trimester of pregnancy can cause fetal death. A rash may start around two weeks after exposure and last for three days. It usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. The rash is not as bright as that of measles and is sometimes itchy. Swollen lymph nodes are common and may last a few weeks. A fever, sore throat, and fatigue may also occur.

Mumps is a childhood disease, but it can occur in adults. Its clinical name is epidemic parotitis. Its symptoms are the following: swollen, painful salivary glands, fever, weakness and fatigue, inflammation of the pancreas, testicles, ovaries, or brain. Mumps is caused by a virus and spread by inhalation of infected droplets. The affected person becomes contagious 1 day before the symptoms appear, is most contagious for another 3 days, and then becomes less contagious as the swelling goes down.

In developed countries, children are immunized against measles, rubella and mumps at 12 months by MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella). And a second dose of the vaccine is usually given to children between the ages of four and five. There is no specific treatment for these diseases. Most children with uncomplicated forms of disease recover with rest and supportive treatment.

Whooping cough. Whooping cough primarily occurs in infants younger than 2 years. It is contracted by inhaling infected airborne droplets, often from an adult with mild case of the disease. The disease is most contagious early, but can be transmitted until the infection is completely cleared. The symptoms of this disease are sneezing and nasal congestion, tearing, loss of appetite, and cough.

Fever, weakness, and red, itchy rash are the signs of chickenpox. Chickenpox, also known as varicella, occurs primarily in children, although adults who are not immune can contract it. It is contagious and is spread by breathing in infected respiratory droplets or by unprotected direct contact with the rash when it has ruptured. In persons who have had chickenpox, the virus can cause shingles later in life.

Scarlet fever was once a common, serious childhood illness but now is quite rare. Caused by a specific type of streptococcal bacteria, scarlet fever usually begins suddenly with sore throat, fever, and chill. The bacteria produce a specific type of toxin that causes a rash. It usually disappears after 3 days, and the fever disappears. The tongue may be swollen for somewhat longer, but recovery usually is uneventful.

Exercise 6. Answer the questions:

1. What are the most known diseases of childhood?

2. What are the signs and symptoms of measles?

3. What are Rubella’s clinical symptoms?

4. What are the mumps symptoms?

5. When are children immunized by MMR vaccine and when is the second dose usually given?

6. What are the symptoms of whooping cough?

7. What can you tell about chickenpox?

8. What do you know about exciter of scarlet fever?

Exercise 7. Find corresponding equivalents in the text:

Найбільш відомі захворювання; кашлюк та скарлатина; вдих; інфекційний; доки не зникне висип; простуда; уникнути захворювання; бути викликаним вірусом; свинка та краснуха; відчуття загального дискомфорту; заразитися; вражати дихальний тракт; досить рідкісний; розриватися; видихати; оперізуючий лишай; втома, втомлюваність; хрипота; зазвичай починається несподівано; досить рідко; вдихати інфіковані крапельки в повітрі.

Exercise 8. Match the first name of the disease with the second one:

Exercise 9. Read the following statements. Agree or contradict them:

1. Many of the most known diseases of childhood are highly infectious diseases that can be passed easily from person to person.

2. Measles, also known as three-day measles that caused by the streptococcal bacteria.

3. Rubella infection during the first trimester of pregnancy can cause fetal death.

4. Mumps is a childhood disease, but it can’t occur in adults.

5. Children become immunized firstly by MMR vaccine between the ages of four and five.

6. Whooping cough starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

7. Chickenpox was once a common, serious childhood illness but now is quite rare.

8. Fever, weakness, and red, itchy rash are the signs of scarlet fever.

Exercise 10. Insert the missing prepositions:

1. Whooping cough occurs … infants younger than 2 years.

2. It is contracted … inhaling infected airborne droplets.

3. The symptoms … this disease are sneezing and nasal congestion, tearing, loss appetite, and cough.

4. Chickenpox occurs primarily … children.

5. It is spread … breathing in infected respiratory droplets or … unprotected direct contact with the rash.

6. Mumps is a childhood disease, but it can occur … adults.

7. Mumps is caused … a virus and spread … inhalation of infected droplets.

8. In persons who have had chickenpox, the virus can cause shingles later … life.

Exercise 11. Complete the sentences using words from the text:

1. The most common diseases of childhood are highly infectious ….

2. The virus of measles is transmitted by … of infecting droplets.

3. Whooping cough is contracted by inhaling infected ….

4. Chickenpox is spread by unprotected direct contact with ….

5. The clinical name of … is epidemic parotitis.

6. … during the first trimester of pregnancy can cause fetal death.

7. Children are immunized against … by MMR vaccine.

8. Scarlet fever was once a common, serious … illness but now is quite rare.

Exercise 12. Put questions to the underlined words:

1. Whooping cough, scarlet fever and poliomyelitis are highly infectious diseases.

2. The virus that causes the disorder is transmitted by inhalation of infecting droplets.

3. Measles is most contagious before the rash appears.

4. Rubella infection during the first trimester of pregnancy can cause fetal death.

5. Mumps is caused by a virus and spread by inhalation of infected droplets.

6. A second dose of the vaccine is usually given to children between the ages of four and five.

7. The bacteria produce a specific type of toxin that causes a rash.

8. Children are immunized against measles, rubella and mumps at 12 months by MMR vaccine.

Exercise 13. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form:

1. All children (to vaccinate) against measles next week.

2. The illness (to diagnose) as mumps.

3. He (to develop) a rash after the insect (to bite) him.

4. Child with chicken pox (to isolate) immediately last night.

5. Before AIDS, many health care experts (to believe) that large-scale infectious diseases were a thing of the past.

6. A boy (to admit) to the hospital with a severe form of scarlet fever yesterday.

7. MMR vaccine (to develop) adverse events following immunization rare.

8. Whooping cough (to occur) mainly in young children.

Exercise 14. Put the sentences into the correct order to explain the term “childhood infectious disease”:

__ Most children with uncomplicated forms of infectious diseases recover with rest and supportive treatment.

__ All infectious diseases can be passed easily from person to person.

__ Infectious diseases are a group of diseases which are caused by organisms such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites.

__The best known diseases of childhood are chickenpox, measles, rubella and mumps, whooping cough, scarlet fever and poliomyelitis.

__ A sore throat, a running nose, cough, high temperature, rash are the most characteristic local symptoms of childhood infectious disease.

Завдання для самостійної роботи студентів (СРС)

Test

1. Infectious diseases are a group of diseases which are caused by …

a) drugs b) inflammations c) viruses d) literature e) religion

2. Droplet transmission is also known as …

a) blood transmission b) the respiratory route c) fecal-oral transmission

d) oral transmission e) Sexual transmission

3. Infectious diseases can be spread … a variety of ways.

a) in b) by c) on d) to e) with

4. The most common way of transmission for childhood infectious diseases is …

a) blood transmission b) the respiratory route c) fecal-droplet transmission

d) oral transmission e) Sexual transmission

5. Prodromal symptoms appear … than the characteristic features.

a) later b) sooner c) earlier d) after e) before

6 Abdominal infectious diseases may cause ….

a) hepatitis A b) gastritis c) chicken pox d) diarrhea e) appendicitis

7. Many infectious diseases are accompanied by ….

a) bleeding b) aging c) overweight d) belching e) rash

8. An artificial immunity results from….

a) lactic acid b) toxic bacteria c) the prophylactic vaccination

d) sugar e) microbes

9 Disease that can be passed via the fecal-oral route is….

a) tuberculosis b) hepatitis A c) the plague

d) kidney failure e) pneumonia

10. Disease as … has been stamped out in our country.

a) tuberculosis b) hepatitis A c) the plague

d) kidney failure e) pneumonia