Wash your hands every time after going to the bathroom, changing a diaper, sneezing or blowing your nose and when coming into contact with bodily fluids. [3] X Research source Wash your hands before and after working with food. When washing your hands, use soap and warm water to wet your hands up to your wrists and scrub the skin for at least 20 seconds or more. [4] X Research source If water and soap is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and rub it from your fingertips to your wrists in order to eliminate pathogens. [5] X Research source
Besides maintaining a proper hand hygiene, try to avoid touching your face, even with clean hands. Avoid direct contact between the palm of your hand and face and use a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If a tissue is not available, cover your mouth or nose with your elbow. After using a tissue, discard it immediately into a proper waste receptacle and wash your hands
Get all adult and childhood immunizations on time and keep an accurate vaccination record at home for every family member to ensure everyone remains up to date. Because vaccines are designed to activate your immune system to recognize specific pathogens, some vaccines may cause minor symptoms, such as fever, fatigue and muscle aches, that last a day or two. [8] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source Some vaccinations require booster shots (such as tetanus and polio) at certain intervals to maintain immunity. [9] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
If you are at public spaces, cover your mouth and nose with your elbow while coughing (and not with your hand) to avoid spreading pathogens airborne and transferring germs with your hands. Wash your hands and clean shared surfaces often if you are sick in order to minimize transmission of germs.
Prepare your food responsibly by limiting cross contamination. Raw food should never be prepared on the same surface as ready-made food to prevent transferring pathogens. Clean your work surfaces regularly and keep them clean and dry. Pathogens can thrive on wet environments. Wash your hands before and after handling food. You should also wash your hands when you are changing ingredients (eg, from raw food to fresh food). Food should be stored at safe temperatures (refrigerated if needed) and thrown out if you doubt their quality. Changes in color and texture and strange odors are signs that your food has spoiled. Hot food should be eaten when it is prepared and, if it needs to be stored, kept either hot (as in buffets) or refrigerated as soon as possible to keep pathogens from multiplying.
Always protect yourself by using a condom or dental dam during sexual activity, especially if you are not in a monogamous relationship. Do not engage in any sexual activity when you or your partner have a cold sore or genital wart breakout. This can lead to spreading incurable herpes. Get tested for STDs before and after engaging in sexual activities with a new partner so that you are aware of your status.
Talk to your doctor about important vaccinations to get when you are traveling. This allows you to build up your immunity and be more prepared to the native pathogens present at the areas where you are travelling to. Wash your hands frequently when you are traveling to avoid transferring germs to your body via your hands. Protect yourself against infections that are carrier by vectors such as mosquitos by taking precautions, such as sleeping in mosquito netting, using bug spray, and wearing long-sleeved clothing.
Bacteria are the most common infectious agents. They can be transmitted via bodily fluids and food. They are single cell living microorganisms that use your body as a home base to replicate. Viruses are pathogens that cannot live outside the host. When a virus enters your body, they hijack your body’s cells to multiply and spread to neighboring cells. Fungi are simple, plant-like living organisms that may take up residence in your body. Parasites are living organisms that hijack the host’s body and use their resources to thrive.
Use topical antibiotic ointments for small wounds that are infected. Signs of infection include redness, swelling, warmth and pain. Do not use antibiotic ointment for heavily bleeding wounds that are deep. Seek medical attention if you have a wound that does not stop bleeding. For systemic bacterial infections, visit your healthcare provider and ask if you should be taking oral antibiotics. It is important to understand that antibiotics cannot cure or treat viral infections, such as the cold or flu. Your doctor can diagnose bacterial versus viral infection and treat it appropriately. Take antibiotics only as directed. Taking antibiotics when you don’t need them (such as when you have a viral infection) increases bacterial resistance to antibiotics.
Some drugs, known as antiviral or antiretroviral drugs, can fight off certain viruses by taking away their ability to reproduce their DNA inside your cells. Some viral infections, such as the common cold, only need to have their symptoms treated to make you more comfortable. Your immune system can fight off the virus as long as you are not immunocompromised and get enough rest and nutrients. Many viral illnesses can be prevented with vaccinations. Thus, you should keep your immunizations up to date.
Some fungal infections may be treated with a topical ointment if the infected site is on your skin (such as foot fungus). Very serious and threatening fungal infections are treated with oral medications or injections. Some examples of pathogenic fungi include histoplasmosis, blastomycosis, coccidioidomycosis, and paracoccidioidomycosis, and these infections can be deadly.
Many parasites can be transferred into your body via contaminated food or water (such as hookworm), while others enter via broken/compromised skin (such as malaria via mosquito bite). You should never drink unfiltered or non-purified water from natural sources as the water may contain parasites. Some parasitic infections can be treated with oral or injected medications. Your doctor can diagnose a parasitic infection based on your symptoms and specific tests and then treat it appropriately.
