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Glossary
Contact:
In the transmission of infectious diseases, a contact is any person who has been
close enough to an infected person to be at risk of having acquired the
infection from that person.
Immunoglobulin:
Immunoglobulins are proteins produced by the body as part of the immune
response. They help the body to fight infections by acting as antibodies.
PCR:
PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a technique for amplifying (increasing the
amount of) genetic material in a specimen. It is often used in pathology
laboratories for diagnostic tests, where a very small amount of genetic material
(DNA or RNA) that might be present in bacteria or viruses can be increased
enough to enable it to be detectable.
Serotype:
Groups of microorganisms that are extremely closely related, but can be
distinguished by having slightly different antigens or causing the body to
produce slightly different antibodies.
Prion:
A microscopic protein article similar to a virus but lacking nucleic acid,
thought to be the infectious agent responsible for some degenerative diseases of
the nervous system. 
Important groups of communicable diseases include:
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Food-borne diseases
(illnesses caused by eating food contaminated by bacteria, viruses
or toxins such as salmonella or botulism)
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Vaccine-preventable diseases
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Vector-borne diseases
(transmitted to humans by an organism, such as a mosquito or tick,
that carries disease-causing micro-organisms from one host to
another)
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Zoonotic infections
(diseases of animals, such as rabies or psittacosis, that can be
transmitted to humans)
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HIV/AIDS and related diseases
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Quarantinable diseases
(diseases that require isolation or restriction of free movement of
an infected person to prevent the disease from spreading).
You’ve Got
What?
Introduction
General Topics
The Ways Infectious Diseases Spread
Hand Washing
Keeping Areas Clean
Preventing Food Poisoning at Home
Handling Blood and Other Body Substances
Avoiding Sexually Transmissible Infection (STI)
Immunisation
Exclusion from Child Care, Preschool and School
Overseas Travel
Avoiding Mosquito Bites
Fact sheets on 83 illnesses and conditions caused by the spread of micro-organisms
(bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites) or prions to humans from other humans,
animals or the environment, including food and water. These
fact sheets aim to give a basic understanding of the ways infectious diseases are
spread, and simple, practical advice for preventing the spread of infectious
disease in the home and community.
Photographs
Appendix A: Collecting a Faecal Sample
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