University of Virginia Health System

Site Index All About the Immune System Infectious Diseases Fevers Prevention of Infectious Disease Glossary Online Resources

Fighting infectious diseases today is much easier than in the past. With proper hygiene and proper precautions, in addition to numerous vaccines and rapidly advancing medical technology, people are better equipped than ever to avoid getting sick.

Prevention is the key to fighting many infectious diseases. Part of preventing the spread of an infectious disease includes:

• proper hand washing techniques
  
  
• taking certain precautions, depending on the disease
  
  
• following the nationally recommended immunization schedule for children and adults
  
  
• taking medications correctly

Even with proper prevention, sometimes a disease is unavoidable. Some reasons may include the following:

• evolution of drug-resistant strains of a disease
• changes in a person's environment
• increased travel
• inappropriate use of prescription drugs
• lack of attention to proper personal hygiene