(N/A) The prevention and control of many infectious diseases are essential through both personal and public hygiene.
$1$. Personal hygiene includes keeping the body clean,consuming clean drinking water,food,vegetables,etc.
$2$. Public hygiene includes proper disposal of waste and excreta,periodic cleaning and disinfection of water reservoirs,pools,cesspools,and tanks. It is also necessary to observe standard hygiene practices in public catering.
$3$. These measures are particularly essential where infectious agents are transmitted through food and water,such as typhoid,amoebiasis,and ascariasis. In air-borne diseases like pneumonia and the common cold,in addition to the above measures,one should avoid close contact with infected persons or their belongings.
$4$. For vector-borne diseases like malaria and filariasis,the most important aspect is the control and elimination of vectors and their breeding sites. This includes not allowing water to stagnate in and around residential areas,regular cleaning of household coolers,using mosquito nets,introducing fish like Gambusia in ponds to feed on mosquito larvae,and spraying insecticides in ditches,drainage areas,and swamps.
$5$. Additionally,doors and windows should be fitted with wire mesh to prevent the entry of mosquitoes. These measures are crucial in the context of widespread diseases like dengue and chikungunya,which are transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
$6$. Advances in biotechnology and medicine have provided effective tools to combat infectious diseases. Vaccination and immunization programs have enabled the complete eradication of diseases like smallpox. We have also controlled many infectious diseases like polio,diphtheria,pneumonia,and tetanus through vaccines. Biotechnology has allowed for the development of newer and safer vaccines,while research into antibiotics and other drugs has enabled the effective treatment of infectious diseases.