Differences Between Infectious and Non-Infectious Diseases?

Infectious and Non-Infectious Diseases Explained | Causes & Prevention

Among the various types of diseases, infectious and non-infectious are the most common. They differ significantly in treatment and care approaches. Knowing the differences will help you identify potential symptoms.

Overview of Infectious and Non-infectious Diseases

Pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and fungi primarily cause infectious diseases. However, non-infectious diseases are influenced by environmental factors and cannot spread from one person to another. They are also known as communicable and non-communicable diseases, respectively.

Infectious and Non-Infectious Disease: Key Differences

To understand their nature, we must differentiate between the key aspects of the diseases. Here is a comparison table for the same:

Aspect	Infectious Disease	Non-infectious Disease
Cause	They are caused by pathogens such as protists, viruses, bacteria and fungi	No transmissions involved and they are caused by lifestyle and environmental factors.
Spread By	Living organisms	No transmission
Nature	Communicable	Non-communicable
Medium	Through air, water, direct contact, lack of proper hygiene, etc	Does not spread
Example	Cold, flu, COVID-19, etc	Cancer, diabetes, hypertension, etc

Types of Infectious Disease

Infectious diseases can be classified based on the pathogen that causes them. Let us discuss below:

Bacterial Infections

Single-celled microorganisms cause bacterial infections. Examples include:

Tuberculosis (TB)
Strep throat
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Typhoid fever

Viral Infections

Viruses, which are smaller than bacteria and spread by multiplying themselves, cause this. Examples of viral infections are:

Influenza (flu)
HIV/AIDS
COVID-19
Hepatitis B/C

Fungal Infections

Yeasts and moulds are the primary cause of fungal infections. Some examples are:

Ringworm
Candidiasis
Aspergillosis

Types of Non-infectious Diseases

Non-infectious diseases are not caused by living organisms. There are several types of them. Let us discuss some of them below:

Genetic or Hereditary Diseases

Abnormalities in genes or chromosomes passed from parents to offspring cause genetic disease. For example:

Down syndrome
Cystic fibrosis
Thalassaemia
Sickle cell anaemia

Lifestyle Diseases

Unhealthy habits such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, or alcohol consumption can cause lifestyle-related diseases.

Examples include:

Type 2 diabetes
Heart disease
Liver cirrhosis
Obesity

Nutritional Deficiency Diseases

Lack of essential nutrients in the diet, such as vitamins, minerals, and protein, may cause nutritional deficiency diseases. These include:

Rickets
Scurvy
Anaemia
Kwashiorkor and Marasmus

Preventing Infectious and Non-Infectious Diseases

Infectious and non-infectious diseases are preventable, to a certain extent. By practising proper hygiene, you can limit your contact with bacteria and viruses. Moreover, drink clean water and cover your face when sneezing or coughing.

Non-infectious diseases are mainly caused by lifestyle choices. Therefore, ensure that you follow a proper diet enriched with essential nutrients. If you smoke, quit smoking. It is one of the leading causes of cancer in the world.

Knowing the difference between infectious and non-infectious diseases is crucial. Their differences help you understand potential symptoms and act on them.