Public Health and Medications

How do public health measures and medications fight disease?

In 1900, more than 30 percent of deaths in the United States were caused by infectious disease. In 2005, less than 5 percent of deaths were caused by infectious disease. Two factors that contributed to this change are public health measures and the development of medications.

Public Health Measures When humans live in large groups, behavior, cleanliness of food and water supplies, and sanitation all influence the spread of disease. The field of public health offers services and advice that help provide healthy conditions. Public health measures help prevent disease by monitoring and regulating food and water supplies, promoting vaccination, and promoting behaviors that avoid infection. Promoting childhood vaccinations and providing clean drinking water are two important public health activities that have greatly reduced the spread of many diseases that once killed many people.

FIGURE 35–15 Broad Street Pump In 1854, through investigation that included interviewing residents and mapping, Dr. John Snow learned that the source of a London cholera outbreak was a water pump like this replica. This is a major event in the history of public health.

Medications Prevention of infectious disease is not always possible. Medications, such as antibiotics and antiviral drugs, are other weapons that can fight pathogens. Antibiotics can kill bacteria, and some antiviral medications can slow down viral activity.

The term antibiotic refers to a compound that kills bacteria without harming its host. In 1928, Alexander Fleming was the first scientist to discover an antibiotic. Fleming noticed that a mold, Penicillium notatum, seemed to produce something that inhibited bacterial growth. Research determined that this “something” was a compound Fleming named penicillin. Researchers learned to mass-produce penicillin just in time for it to save thousands of World War II soldiers. Since then, dozens of antibiotics have saved countless numbers of lives.

Antibiotics have no effect on viruses. However, antiviral drugs have been developed to fight certain viral infections. These drugs generally inhibit the ability of viruses to invade cells or to multiply once inside cells.

In Your Notebook How does your school promote public health?