Pathogens enter the body in several ways. They may be transmitted by direct contact between infected persons, such as during sexual relations, kissing, or touching, or by indirect contact, such as by touching an object the infected person has had contact with. The hands are probably the greatest source of infectious disease transmission. For example, you may touch the handle of a drinking fountain that was just touched by a person whose hands were contaminated by a recent sneeze or failure to wash after using the toilet. Laundromats, where people’s bacteria-laden soiled clothes are set on tables, machines, and chairs, could cause infection. You may also autoinoculate yourself, or transmit a pathogen from one part of your body to another. For example, you may touch a sore on your lip that is teeming with viral herpes and then transmit the virus to your eye when you subsequently scratch your itchy eyelid.

Pathogens are also transmitted by airborne contact, either through inhaling the droplet spray from a sneeze or breathing in air that carries a particular pathogen, or you may become the victim of food-borne injection if you eat something contaminated by microorganisms. Recent episodes of food poisoning from salmonella bacteria found in certain foods and E. coli bacteria found in undercooked beef have raised concerns about the safety of the U.S. food supply and forced many food handlers to make sure that their burgers and chicken are cooked to the proper organism-killing temperatures. Recently introduced labels cautioning consumers to cook meats thoroughly, to wash utensils, and to take other food-handling precautions are the direct result of these concerns.

Your best friend may be the source of animal-home pathogens. Dogs as well as cats, livestock, and wild animals can spread numerous diseases through their bites or feces or by carrying infected insects into living areas and transmitting diseases either directly or indirectly. Although interspecies transmission of diseases (diseases passed from humans to animals and vice versa) is rare, it does occur. Water-borne diseases are transmitted directly from drinking water and indirectly from foods washed or sprayed with water containing their pathogens. These pathogens can also invade your body if you wade or swim in contaminated streams, lakes, and reservoirs. Pathogens may also be transmitted via mosquitoes, ticks, and other hosts that carry disease. They may spread disease through sucking or biting. Mothers may also transmit diseases perinatally to an infant in the womb or as the baby passes through the vagina during birth.

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In the third stage of stress breakdown, the discomfort caused by high levels of stimulation will cause the over-stressed person to behave in such a way as to reduce incoming stimulation. This is the time, for example, when the over-stressed person becomes seemingly suddenly interested in watering the lawn with a hand-held hose, with his back towards the house. The masking noise of the rushing water, the fact that people rarely insist on walking over wet grass to talk, and hosing being a solitary occupation, makes this a favourite activity of the stressed person seeking to reduce sensory input. Pulling out weeds is another useful ploy. I remember once, in a period of overwhelming stress, just how interested I became in digging weeds out of the lawn with a dinner fork.

I have found over the years that over-stressed people can often be found sitting on their back steps, back to the house, looking out into the backyard. This seems to be a suitable spot for minimizing the possibility of being spoken to.

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Some medications, similar to those used for the common cold, may be used to treat mild asthma symptoms. These medications include anti-histamines, mucolytics, decongestants and antibiotics. Some of these medications are available without prescription. However, none of them should ever be substituted for, or mixed with, asthma medications without first consulting a doctor.

Anti-histamines

Anti-histamines have a limited effect on asthma symptoms. They are mainly used in the treatment of hay fever, an allergic condition. Antihistamines counteract some of the actions of histamine, which is one of the substances in the body responsible for allergic reactions such as itching, redness around the eyes and watery eyes and nose.

Asthmatics may use anti-histamines in conjunction with bronchodilators if they are suffering from hay fever or allergy symptoms. Doctors have reported that patients sometimes substitute anti-histamines for asthma medication. However, anti-histamines are not designed to treat asthma symptoms and must never be used alone to treat asthma.

The side effects associated with anti-histamines include drowsiness and inability to concentrate, which makes them impractical for many people. These side effects are compounded by sedatives and alcohol. There are some new anti-histamines on the market which have fewer side effects, but it is advisable not to drive or engage in activities that require sharp reflexes when taking any of the older brands. Among the most commonly used anti-histamines are Avil, Polaramine and Vallergan, as well as the newer brands, Hismanal and Teldane.

Mucolytics

Commonly called expectorants, mucolytics make mucus less viscous by breaking down the mucus molecules. However, they have no real place in the treatment of asthma. Cough suppressants are sometimes used to reduce asthmatic coughing, but they do not alleviate the overlying inflammatory condition of the respiratory system.

Steam and vapour inhalation and physiotherapy treatments, such as postural drainage and percussion, can assist with the clearance of hard to dislodge mucus. Increasing the intake of fluid when the lungs are congested also helps reduce the viscosity of mucus. None of these treatments will help reduce symptoms during a severe or acute attack.

Decongestants

During infections or allergic reactions, the lining of the nose, throat or bronchi may swell. The obstruction of the airways can be reduced by taking decongestants, which help relieve itchy and red eyes during hay fever and colds.

It is unwise to mix asthma medicines with decongestants without checking with your doctor or pharmacist. Some decongestant mixtures can cause hyperactivity or sleeplessness and large doses may increase high blood pressure. These mixtures have little real benefit in asthma treatment and should only be taken for limited periods.

Antibiotics

Antibotics have no place in the first line of treatment of asthma unless there is evidence of bacterial infection. Unfortunately, some doctors still prescribe them routinely. It recently came to the attention of one of the Asthma Foundations that a patient had been prescribed 17 courses of antibiotics in five months for her asthma.

Dr R., a senior doctor at a major hospital in Melbourne, warns that medical students must be taught early in their studies that antibiotics should be prescribed with care:

During one of my teaching rounds in the hospital I was actually challenged by two young medical students when I said that there had to be good evidence of bacterial infection before an asthmatic should be prescribed antibiotics. They said they strongly believed they should prescribe these drugs to someone presenting with asthma symptoms so as to cover all possible variables. I told them they were wrong, but I know I did not alter their views. These two guys will be out in the public arena in a few years helping swell the number of unnecessary scripts for antibiotics!

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