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The medium whereby infectious pathogens are conveyed. The vehicle of transmission may be water, milk, food, air, or contaminated blood or blood products. Water-borne diseases are predominantly fecal-oral infections causing diarrhea and/or vomiting. Milk- and food-borne infections include other conditions, such as poisoning by bacterial or chemical toxins. Moisture-laden air that has passed through a contaminated water-cooled air conditioning plant is the vehicle for infection with the legionella that causes Legionnaires disease. Contaminated blood and blood products are the vehicle for HIV, hepatitis C, and occasionally other infections.
From: vehicle in A Dictionary of Public Health »
Subjects: Public Health and Epidemiology.
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