Disease Classification

• Infectious: A disease spread by pathogenic micro-organisms (e.g. parasites, bacteria, viruses, fungi)
• Non-Infectious: A disease which can't spread. Caused by age, genetics, environmental conditions or poor nutrition.
• Communicable: An infectious disease which spreads from host to host.
• Non-Communicable (aka Chronic Diseases): A disease which is not passed from person to person.
• Contagious: A disease spread by contact or indirect contact between people (e.g. Ebola)
• Non-Contagious: An infectious disease that can't be spread between people (e.g. Malaria)
• Epidemic: A disease outbreak that spreads quickly through the population of a geographical area
• Endemic: A disease which exists permanently in a geographical area or human group
• Pandemic: An epidemic which spreads worldwide (e.g. Spanish Flu)
• Zoonotic: Infectious diseases which are transmitted from animals to humans (e.g. Swine Flu)

Infectious and Contagious

• HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis, Flu, Ebola, Cholera, Smallpox

Infectious and Non-Contagious

• Malaria, Yellow Fever, West Nile Fever

Non-Infectious and Contagious

• NOT POSSIBLE

Non-Infectious and Non-Contagious

• Diabetes, Cancers, Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

4 Types of Non-Communicable Diseases:

• Cardiovascular Diseases (e.g. heart attacks, stroke)
• Cancers
• Chronic Respiratory Diseases (e.g. asthma, chronic onstructive pulmonary disease)
• Diabetes