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Infectious Disease and Prevention

Infectious diseases are caused when germs like viruses, bacteria, parasites or fungi, enter our body. Bacteria live almost everywhere in our environment. Of the billions of types of bacteria, only 50 are known to cause infection in humans. Viruses cause far more infection than bacteria and spread more easily. If more than one person in your family has an illness, chances are it’s a viral infection.

Germs can live on surfaces such as desks, door handles and phones. Most people get sick when they touch something that has germs on it and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. The best way to lower your risk of getting sick is to clean your hands often.

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