Final answer:
Airborne transmission and direct contact with infected body fluids are the two most common ways for infectious diseases to be spread to emergency responders.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two most common ways for infectious diseases to be spread to emergency responders are through airborne transmission and direct contact with infected body fluids.
Airborne transmission occurs when pathogens in droplets are expelled from an infected person's respiratory system during coughing or sneezing. Nearby people can inhale these droplets and become new hosts for the pathogens. Examples of diseases spread this way include the flu and the common cold.
Direct contact involves the transfer of pathogens through skin-to-skin contact or touching contaminated surfaces. This can happen when infected individuals touch non-infected persons or objects that are then touched by non-infected persons. Diseases like Athlete's foot, warts, mononucleosis, and oral herpes can be transmitted through direct contact.