Which type of disease can be spread through direct contact?

Infectious diseases, such as influenza or norovirus, are primarily spread through direct contact with an infected person or contaminated surfaces. These diseases can be transmitted when a person touches something or someone that has the pathogen and then touches their mouth, eyes, or nose. This mode of transmission is crucial to understand because it informs effective prevention strategies, such as frequent handwashing and avoiding close contact with sick individuals.

Respiratory diseases like asthma are non-infectious and do not spread from person to person. Chronic diseases such as diabetes generally result from a combination of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors and are not contagious. Similarly, cancers that are genetically inherited cannot be spread through direct contact, as they are related to biological changes within an individual's cells rather than infectious agents.