Infections differ from other discases in a number of aspects:

* Most importantly, they are caused by living microorganisms - such as viruses or bacteria -that can usually be identifed, thus establishing the actiology carly in the illness. Many of these organisms, including all bacteria, are sensitive to antibiotics and most infections are potentially curable, unlike many non-infectious degenerative and chronic discases.

* Communicability is another factor which differentiates infections from non-infectious diseases. Transmission of pathogenic organisms to other people, directly or indirectly, may lead to an outbreak or epidemic.

* Finally, many infections are preventable by hygienic measures, by vaccines, (especially live attenuated vaccines such as rubella vaccine) or by drug prophylaxis (for example, chloroquine to prevent malaria).

Microorganisms include bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa (such as the parasite that causes malaria). Another general word for these pathogens is microbes. Patients often refer to microbes as germs or bugs

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