1. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
HIV/AIDS
The most successful programs to fight AIDS have been efforts to make
available antiretroviral drugs that allow people with HIV to live for many
years before developing symptoms of AIDS
Hepatitis
Viral hepatitis causes 78% of liver cancers and the hepatitis B virus alone
infects an estimated one in three people worldwide. The public health
concern of viral hepatitis is growing as the viruses are easily transmitted
from person to person.
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease
caused by RNAviruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza
viruses), that affects birds and mammals.
The most common symptoms of the disease are chills, fever, sore
throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue and
general discomfort. Sore throat, fever and coughs are the most frequent
symptoms.
Malaria
Malaria is an infectious disease of tropical countries. It is spread by
mosquitoes. It is manifested by fever along with chills and rigors.
Unless it is diagnosed and treated promptly, it can be fatal. A single
mosquito bite may be enough to cause the infection.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a dreaded bacterial infection. It has been
known to mankind since ancient ages. It was commonly called
“consumption” at the turn of the last century because of the way
the disease seemed to “consume” the individual it affected.
Polio
Polio (medically termed Poliomyelitis) is
Polio – meaning grey and myelon –
disease commonly affects the spinal cord
classic paralysis.Polio tends to infect
lifelong crippling conditions, but two
possibility of eradication
derived from Greek words
meaning the spinal cord. The
leading
to
children under five causing
vaccines
promise
the
H1N1 (Swine) Flu 2009
Novel H1N1 Flu (officially called Novel Influenza A H1N1 Virus) is a
respiratory disease in pigs caused by type A flu viruses. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that this current strain of
Swine Flu virus (H1N1) can infect humans, spread from human to human,
and cause illness. At this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is an uncommon respiratory
disease caused by hantaviruses, most often the Sin Nombre virus.
Though rare, HPS can be fatal. Deer mice are the primary carriers for
the virus though other rodents can carry the virus as well. The virus is
shed in the droppings, urine, and saliva of rodents. Humans can become
infected when they inhale the virus which can get into the air when
rodent droppings, urine, or nesting materials are agitated. Humans
cannot transmit the virus to one another (e.g. close contact with or

2. providing healthcare to someone who is infected).
Measles is a highly infectious viral illness. It is common among children
but may affect people of all age groups. Measles, like most other viral
ailments, may have a benign course with few complications other than
fever and a rash. However, in special vulnerable populations like
malnourished children and those with a diminished immunity this can lead
to serious complications including death.
Rabies is
a
viral
neuroinvasive
disease
that
causes
acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in warm-blooded
animals. It is zoonotic (i.e., transmitted by animals), most commonly
by a bite from an infected animal but occasionally by other forms of
contact. Rabies is almost invariably fatal if post-exposure prophylaxis
is not administered prior to the onset of severe symptoms. It is a
significant killer of livestock in some countries.
The rabies virus travels to the brain by following the peripheral
nerves. The incubation period of the disease depends on how far the
virus must travel to reach the centralnervous system, usually taking a few months. Once the infection
reaches the central nervous system and symptoms begin to show, the infection is practically
untreatable and usually fatal within days.
NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Cancer is a non-communicable disease that affects all ages. As
stated by the CDC in 2005, the three most common cancers among
women are breast, lung and colorectal. The three most common
cancers among men are prostate, lung and colorectal. Lung cancer
is at the top of the list for cancer deaths in men and women.
Diabetes affects the way the body uses blood glucose. The Mayo Clinic
states that type 1 diabetes develops when the immune system destroys
the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, allowing a buildup of
glucose in the blood. In type 2 diabetes, the cells resist the insulin and
cause an increase of glucose in the blood.
Hypertension is a non-communicable disease diagnosed when the
systolic reading (top number of the blood pressure reading) is
consistently higher than 140 and/or the bottom number, or diastolic
reading, registers higher than 90. A blood pressure of 140/90
millimeters of mercury (mmHg) or higher indicates hypertension.
Causes of hypertension include excessive salt intake, smoking,
diabetes, obesity and kidney disease.
Osteoporosis, also known as porous bone, is a non-communicable
disease resulting from low bone mass. Brittle bones weaken and
break from a minor fall or movement. The National Osteoporosis
Foundation states that of the 10 million Americans with
osteoporosis, 80 percent are women.

3. Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia among people
over the age of 60. Symptoms progress from memory loss to include
difficulty managing money and daily tasks, getting lost, personality
changes, delusions and loss of bodily function control.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is a broad category of non-communicable diseases that
affect the way the heart and circulatory system performs. Heart
disease includes rhythm irregularities, heart attack, congenital heart
disease, heart failure, mitral valve prolapse, unstable angina, mitral
stenosis, endocarditis, aortic regurgitation and cardiogenic shock.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a non-communicable disease involving the soft tissues
of the body. Common symptoms include widespread pain, sleep
disturbance patterns, irregular heartbeat and extreme exhaustion.
Symptoms that intensify at times include memory and concentration
difficulty, jaw pain, headaches, nasal congestion and irritable bowel
syndrome.
Neoplasm
(from ancient Greek νεο- neo-, "new" + πλάσμα plasma,
"formation", "creation") or tumor is an abnormal mass of
tissue as a result of abnormal growth or division of cells.
Prior to abnormal growth (known as neoplasia), cells often
undergo an abnormal pattern of growth, such
as metaplasia or dysplasia. However, metaplasia or dysplasia
do not always progress to neoplasia. The growth of
neoplastic cells exceeds, and is not coordinated with, that of
the normal tissues around it. The growth persists in the same
excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli.
Migraine
Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by
recurrent moderate to severe headaches often in association with a
number.
Epilepsy
(from the Ancient Greek verb ἐπιλαμβάνειν meaning "to seize,
possess, or afflict") is a group of long term neurological
disorders characterized by epileptic seizures. These seizures are
episodes which vary from brief and nearly undetectable to long
periods of vigorous shaking.[3] Seizures due to epilepsy tend to
recur and have no immediate cause[2] while seizures that occur
right around a specific cause are not deemed to be epilepsy.