Human non-infectious diseases imply that a disease is not contagious. A microorganism is defined as a microscopic organism such as a virus or bacterium. An example of a non-infectious disease is malaria. Malaria cannot be contracted from another human, but rather spread from mosquitoes. In addition to malaria, other human non-infectious diseases that are influenced by microorganisms include diabetes mellitus, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and cerebrovascular accident. As an emergency room medical scribe, the examples above include the majority of diseases I see from my daily work. Working in a hospital, I am required to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases as the likelihood of transmission is high. In contrary to non-infectious diseases, rhinovirus is the typical cause for the common cold, which is infectious and can be easily spread from humans. In my experience, prior to starting my first shift, I was tested for tuberculosis as a requirement because it is contagious.
Learning more about infectious and non-infectious diseases influenced by microorganisms will allow me to become a more versatile employee. I will have a better understanding of when to take extra precautions before seeing new patients with my physician. As an aspiring emergency physician, this course will be very beneficial to me as it will equip me with the background I need before going to medical school. I believe this course will be enriching and provide me with the knowledge I need to become successful.
