ICSE Class 10 Biology: Health and Hygiene — Complete Notes 2026

Concept of Health

• WHO definition: 'Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely absence of disease'
• Dimensions: physical (body functioning), mental (emotional well-being), social (relationships, community)
• Determinants: genetics, lifestyle, environment, healthcare access, nutrition, education

Types of Diseases

• Communicable (infectious): spread person to person; bacteria (TB, cholera), viruses (influenza, COVID), parasites (malaria)
• Non-communicable: lifestyle and genetic; diabetes, cancer, hypertension, heart disease; major global burden
• Deficiency diseases: lack of nutrients; scurvy (Vitamin C), rickets (Vitamin D), anaemia (iron), goitre (iodine)

Common Communicable Diseases (ICSE)

• Tuberculosis (TB): Mycobacterium tuberculosis; spread by droplets; BCG vaccine; symptoms: chronic cough, fever, weight loss
• Malaria: Plasmodium; female Anopheles mosquito; fever, chills, anaemia; control: mosquito nets, larvicides
• Typhoid: Salmonella typhi; contaminated food/water; rose spots on abdomen; TAB vaccine; ciprofloxacin treatment

Immunity

• Innate immunity: natural; skin, mucus, phagocytes; non-specific
• Acquired immunity: develops after exposure; antibodies produced by lymphocytes; specific to antigen
• Active: natural (infection) or artificial (vaccine); passive: mother's antibodies via placenta/milk, antiserum injection

Vaccines and Vaccination

• Vaccination: introduces weakened/killed pathogen or antigen; immune system makes antibodies; long-term protection
• India immunisation schedule: BCG (TB), OPV (polio), DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus), MMR, Hepatitis B
• Herd immunity: when 70–95% of population immune, disease cannot spread; protects unvaccinated individuals

Personal and Community Hygiene

• Personal: hand washing (20 seconds with soap), oral hygiene (twice daily brushing), safe food handling
• Community: clean water supply, proper sewage treatment, solid waste management, food safety regulation
• Vector control: insect breeding sites, stagnant water management, use of repellents

ICSE Exam Focus

• Types of diseases: communicable vs non-communicable; give examples; 3 marks
• Vaccination mechanism: how vaccines create immunity; active vs passive immunity comparison
• Deficiency diseases: which vitamin/mineral deficient; symptoms; food source; 3–5 mark questions