most common disease and causative agent, symptoms
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An infection occurs when another organism enters your body and causes disease. The organisms that cause infections are very diverse and can include things like viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
You can acquire an infection in many different ways, such as directly from a person with an infection, via contaminated food or water, and even through the bite of an insect.
Let’s take a closer look at infections, the types of organisms that cause them, and actions you can take to help prevent becoming ill.
Types of infections
Below, we’ll explore the different types of infections, list some examples you may be familiar with, and look into some possible treatments.
Viral infections
Viruses are very tiny infectious organisms. They’re even smaller than bacteria. On the most basic level, a virus is composed of a piece of genetic material that’s surrounded by a protein shell. Some viruses may have an additional envelope or other features on their surface.
Viruses are parasitic and require a host cell in which to carry out their life cycle. Once the virus has entered the host cell, it’s able to use cellular components to reproduce. New viruses are released from the host cell, a process that’ll sometimes cause the host cell to die.
Some examples of viral infections include:
influenza (the flu)common coldmeaslesrubellachickenpoxnoroviruspolioinfectious mononucleosis (mono)herpes simplex virus (HSV)human papillomavirus (HPV)human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)viral hepatitis, which can include hepatitis A, B, C, D, and Eviral meningitisWest Nile Virusrabiesebola