DISEASE CAUSING AGENTS (NEET)

When we talk about disease causing agent, we emphasis on the aspects that result in the diseases. There are number of agents that results in diseases.

1 .PHYSICAL AGENT

The physical agent is characterized by

• TEMPERATURE
• PRESSURE
• HUMIDITY
• RADIATION

As the temperature increases or decreases, the body need time to acclimatize to that surrounding. If a person from a warmer condition shifts to a polar region, the person may suffer from Frost bite. On the other hand, in extreme hot conditions, a person suffer form Heat stroke. All these are due to physical agents that result in disorder thus result in diseases in us.

when we talk about the radiations, there are many harmful radiation that affects us and the effects are very disturbing, the BHOPAL GAS TRAGEDY is a live example of how Radiations can affect a livelihood.

2. CHEMICAL AGENTS

Chemical agents can be broadly classified into two categories:

1. ENDOGENOUS: In endogenous agent, the agents that cause disease are formed inside the human body itself. It includes

• HORMONES:
  • When their is decrease in the production of hormones by Adrenal gland it results in a disease called as Addison’s Disease.
  • When their is overproduction of Growth hormone, it results in Acromegaly.
• URIC ACID:
  • When there is high concentration of Uric acid in the body is result in the disease called GOUT.

2. EXOGENOUS: In exogenous agent, the agents that cause disease due to outer factors are called Exogenous factors.

• POLLEN
  • It causes Hay fever, when the pollen grains are inhaled by persons it creates irritation and thus it acts as a disease.
• DUST
  • When silica crystalline are inhaled by a person, it causes Silicosis.

3. NUTRITIONAL AGENTS

When their is deficiency of nutrition in the food, or when their is lack of Balanced diet food it result in Nutritional deficiency. The deficiency can be through vitamins, minerals etc. The deficiencies are as follows:

• VITAMIN A
  • Night blindness
  • Xerophthalmia
• VITAMIN B
  • Beribrei
  • Pellagra
• VITAMIN C
  • Scurvy
• VITAMIN D
  • Rickets
  • Osteomalacia
• IODINE
  • Goitre
• CALCIUM
  • Bone and tooth decay

4. BIOLOGICAL AGENTS:

These are the agents that are living and cause disease to the human beings.

• BACTERIA
  • Cholera
  • Tuberculosis
• PROTOZOA
  • Malaria
  • Amoebiasis
• VIRUS
  • AIDS
  • Influenza