1. Introduction to
parasites and
infectious
diseases
UNIT-1 CHEMOTHERAPY OF MICROBIAL & INFECTIOUS
DISEASES
PRIYANSHA SINGH (PC2021- 14/226)
M.S. PHARM- PARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
NIPER GUWAHATI

2. Introduction
 Infectious diseases are disorders that are caused by organisms, usually
microscopic in size, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites that are passed,
directly or indirectly, from one person to another.
 Humans can also become infected following exposure to an infected animal that
harbors a pathogenic organism that is capable of infecting humans.
 Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide, particularly in low-
income countries, especially in young children.
 In 2019, two infectious diseases - lower respiratory infections and diarrheal
diseases were ranked in the top ten causes of death worldwide by the World Health
Organization (WHO). Both of these diseases can be caused by a variety of infectious
agents.

3. Introduction
1. Deaths from the infectious diseases HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis have fallen
significantly in recent years, and they no longer appear on the list of top ten causes
of death globally.
2. However, these diseases are still a leading cause of death in low-income
countries. Malaria is another infectious disease that is a top cause of death in low-
income countries. These three diseases are due to single infectious agents.
3. A newly emerged infectious disease, COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2,
became a top cause of death in 2020.
4. According to data analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), COVID-19 was listed as the third leading cause of death during 2020 in the
United States, behind heart disease and cancer.

4. Top ten leading causes of deaths
worldwide
Leading cause of
death in high
income countries

5. Agents that cause infections

6. Transmission of Infectious Diseases
There are a number of different routes by which a person can become infected
with an infectious agent.
a) humans must come in direct contact with a source of infection, such as
contaminated food, water, fecal material, body fluids or animal products.
With other agents, infection can be transmitted through the air.
b) The route of transmission of infectious agents is clearly an important
factor in how quickly an infectious agent can spread through a population.
An agent that can spread through the air has greater potential for
infecting a larger number of individuals than an agent that is spread
through direct contact.
c) Another important factor in transmission is the survival time of the
infectious agent in the environment. An agent that survives only a few
seconds between hosts will not be able to infect as many people as an
agent that can survive in the environment for hours, days, or even longer.
These factors are important considerations when evaluating the risks of
potential bioterrorism agents.

9. Impact of infections on society
– Infectious diseases have plagued humans throughout
history, and in fact have even shaped history on some
occasions.
– The plagues of biblical times, the Black Death of the Middle
Ages, and the “Spanish flu” pandemic of 1918 are but a few
examples. The 1918 flu pandemic killed more than a half
million people in the United States and up to 50 million
people worldwide and is thought to have played a
contributing role in ending World War I.
– Epidemics and pandemics have always had major social
and economic impacts on affected populations, but in our
current interconnected world, the impacts are truly global.
– This has been clearly demonstrated by the COVID-19
pandemic that began in 2020. Infections in one region can
easily spread to another. Until the virus can be contained
globally, a surge in cases in one area can cause a
resurgence of cases in other areas around the world.

10. A few examples showing impact of
infectious diseases on society

13. Challenges to infectious diseases
research
– Despite significant advances in infectious disease research and treatment, the
control and eradication of these diseases faces major challenges.
– A WHO report released in 2007 warns that infectious diseases are spreading more
rapidly than ever before and that new infectious diseases are being discovered at a
higher rate than at any time in history.
– In just the past five years, the WHO has identified over 1000 epidemics of infectious
diseases including avian flu, swine flu, polio, and cholera.
– With greatly increased human mobility, infectious diseases have the potential to
swiftly become global epidemics and pandemics.

14. Challenges to infectious diseases
research
– Some of the reasons for the difficulty in combating infectious diseases are:
• New infectious diseases continue to emerge
• Old infectious diseases increase in incidence or geographical distribution
• Old infectious diseases previously under control begin to re-emerge
• Potential for intentional introduction of infectious agents by bioterrorists
• Increasing resistance of pathogens to current antimicrobial drugs
• Breakdowns in public health systems and communication between nations

15. Infectious diseases
– BACTERIA (STAPHYLOCOCCI, STREPTOCOCCI, PNEUMOCOCCI, E. coli,
SALMONELLA, VIBRIO)
– VIRUS (DNA VIRUSES, POLIOVIRUS & RNA VIRUSES)
– MYCETES (MYCOSES, CANDIDOSIS, PNEUMOCYSTOSIS)
– PARASITES (PROTOZOA, HELMINTHES, ARTHROPODS)
– SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

16. Bacterial infections

19. Viral infections
RNA
VIRUSES

20. Fungal infections

21. Parasites- protozoa, helminths, arthropods
1. Protozoa

23. 2. Helminths

24. 3. Arthropods