Communicable diseases Flashcards
Pathogen
A micro-organism that causes disease
Host
Organism in which a pathogen lives
How do pathogens live on a host
By taking nutrition from their host, which also causes damage in the process
Bacteria
-Prokaryote
-Reproduce rapidly - every 20 mins
-In the host they can multiply rapidly
-Presence causes disease by damaging cells/ releasing toxic waste products
Bacteria in plants
-Live in the vascular tissue
-Cause blackening and death
Examples of bacterial diseases in mammals
-Turberculosis
-Bacterial meningitus
TB
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
A disease that affects many parts of the body, killing the cells and tissues; lungs are most affected
Bacterial meningitis
Streptococcus pneumonia
-Infection of the meninges - membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord
-Membranes become swollen and may cause damage to the brain and nerves
Bacterial diseases in plants
Ring rot
Ring rot
Ring of decay in the vascular tissue of a potato tuber or tomato, accompanied by leaf wilting
How does a fungi infect mammals
Fungus lives in the skin of the animal
-Hyphae forms a mycelium under the skins surface
-Fungus can send out specialised reproductive hyphae, which grow to the surface of the skin to release spores
-Causes redness and irritation
How does a fungi infect plants
Lives in vascular tissue where it can gain nutrients
-Hyphae release extracellular enzymes i.e. cellulases
- Digest surrounding tissue which causes decay before dying
-Leaves will become mottled in colour, curl up, and shrivel before dying
-Fruit and storage organs (tubers- potatoes) will turn black and decay
Fungal diseases in mammals
Ringworm (cattle)
Athletes foot (humans)
Ringworm (cattle)
Growth of fungus in skin with spore cases erupting through skin to feel a rash
Athletes foot (humans)
Growth under skin of feet- particularly between toes
Viruses
Invade cells and take other the genetic machinery and over organelles of the cell
-Cause the cell to manufacture more copies of the virus
-Host cell bursts releasing many new viruses which will infect healthy cells
Viruses in mammals
HIV/AIDS
Influenza
HIV/AIDS
Human immunodeficiency disease
-Attacks cells in the immune system and compromises the immune response
Influenza
‘Flu’ Viruses
-Attacks the respiratory system and causes muscle pains and headaches
Plant viruses
Tobacco mosaic virus
Tobacco mosaic virus
Causes mottling and discoloration of leaves
Protoctista
Animal-like protocists
-Enter host cells and feed on contents as they grow
Malaria
Plasmodium falciparum
-Malarial parasite plasmodium has immature forms that feed on the haemoglobin in RBC
-Causes headache and fever and may progress to coma and death
What organism has been difficult to classify
Phytophthora (blight) was classified as a fungus but moved to protoctsita as it has many features that does not fit with other fungi
Pathogen life cycle
1) Transmission - travels from one host to another
2) entering the host’s tissues
3) Reproducing
4) Leaving the hosts tissues
Transmisson
Passing a pathogen from an infected individual to an uninfected individual
Direct Transmission
Passing a pathogen from host to new host with no intermediary
-Most common form of transmission
E.g of direct transmission
1)Direct physical contact i.e touching a person who is infected/ touching contaminated surfaces (including the soil) that harbor the pathogens.
2)Faecal - oral transmission, usually by eating food/drinking water contaminated by the pathogen
3) Droplet infection - pathogen carried in tiny water droplets in the air
4) Transmission by spores. resistant stage of the pathogen - carried in the air/surfaces/soil
Diseases transmitted through direct physical contact
HIV, Bacterial meningitis, ringworm, athlete’s foot
Factors that affect transmission by direct physical contact
Hygiene:
washing hands regularly - especially after using the toilet
Keeping surfaces clean - door handles
Cleaning and disinfecting cuts and abrasions
Sterilising surgical instruments
Using condoms during sex
Factors that affect transmission by Faecal -oral transmission
Using human sewage to fertilise crops is a common practice in some parts of the world:
-Treatment of waste products and treatment of drinking water are important ways to reduce risk
-Thorough washing of all fresh food (using treated water)
-Careful preparation and thorough cooking of all food
Factors that affect transmission by droplet infection
Catch it- Bin it - Kill it
Cover your mouth when coughing/sneezing
Use a tissue and ensure tissue is disposed of correctly
Factors that affect transmission by spores
Use of a mask
Washing skin after contact with soil
Social factors that affect transmission
-Overcrowding - many people living and sleeping together in a house
-Poorventiliation
-Poor health - particularly if a person has HIV/AIDS as thy ae more likely to contact other diseases
-Poor diet
-Homelessness
-Living/working with people who have migrated from areas where a disease is common
Transmission of TB
Not transmitted easily
-Takes close proximity to people with the disease for long periods of time
-BCG vaccination reduced in teenagers through Western Europe
-Increased migration/ economic migrants living in overcrowded poor ventilated areas causes cases in TB to rise
Indirect transmisson
Passing a pathogen from host to new host via a vector
Vector
An organism that carries a pathogen from one host to another
E.g of a vector
Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria enters the human host via a bite from the female Anopheles mosquito
Indirect transmission of Plasmodium
1) A person with malaria
2) Gametes of plasmodium in blood
3) Female Anopheles mosquito sucks blood
4) Plasmodium develops and migrates to a mosquito’s salivary glands
5) An uninfected person is bitten
6) Plasmodium migrates to the liver
7) Plasmodium migrates to the blood
8) Person has malaria
Direct transmission of plant pathogens
1) Pathogens present in soil will infect plants by entering the roots - especially if damaged as a result of replanting, burrowing animals, movement caused by a storm
2) Airborne transmission - fungi spores (prduced from sexual/asexual repro) carried in the wind
What happens when a pathogen is inside a plant
Infect vascular tissue
-Pathogens in leaves are distributed when leaves are shed and carry pathogen back to the soil where it can grow and infect another plant
Pathogens within fruit and seeds
Distributed in the seeds - so that offspring are infected
Indirect transmission in plants
Occurs as a result of insect attack
-Spores/bacteria become attached to a burrowing insect such as a beetle after it has attacked an infected plant
-When beetle attacks another plant pathogen transmitted
-Beetle -vector
Example of indirect transmission by plants
Fungus that causes Dutch elm disease is carried by the beetle Scolytus multistriatus
Disease and climate
Grow and reproduce more quickly in warm, moist conditions - more common in warmer climates cold climates - die
-A greater variety of diseases and animals/plants more likely to be infected
How are plants a rich source of nutrients
Manufacture sugars in photosynthesis and convert those sugars to a variety of compounds i.e. proteins and oils
Passive defenses
Defensespresent before infection and their role is to prevent entry and spread of the pathogen
-Physical barriers/chemicals
Physical defenses
-Cellulose cell wall
-Lignin thickening of cell walls
-Waxy cuticles
-Bark
-Stomatal closure
-Callose
-Tylose formation
How is the cellulose cell wall a physical defense
Physical barrier and contains variety of chemical defences that can be activated when pathogen is detected
How is the lignin thickening of the cell wall a physical defense
Lignin (phenolic compound) is waterproof and indigestible
How are the waxy cuticles a physical defense
Prevent water collecting on the cell surfaces
Pathogens collect in water and need water to survive, absence - defense
How is the stomatal closure a physical defense
Stomata possible points of pathogen entry
-Stomatal aperture controlled by the guard cells
-When pathogenic organisms are detected, guard cells will close stomata in that part of the plant
How is callose a physical defense
Callose is an large polysaccharide that is deposited in the sieve tubes at the end of the growing season
-Deposited around the sieve plates that block the flow in the sieve tube
-Prevents a pathogen from spreading around the plant
How is tylose formation a physical defense
A tylose is a baloon-like swelling/projection that fills the xylem vessel
-When tylose is formed plugs the vessel and so vessel can no longer carry water
-Blocking xylem prevents spread of pathogens through heartwood
-Tylose contains a high concentration of chemicals (terpenes) that are toxic to pathogens
Xylem - parenchyma cells
As wood ages, parenchyma cells become filled with terpenes
-Eventually will burst into dead cells through a pit connecting the two
-Parenchyma then dies
Chemical defenses
Chemicals have antipathogenic properties: terpenoids, phenols, alkaloids, hydrolytic enzymes
Passive: terpenes in tylose , tannins in bark
But because production requires energy many not formed until after infection
Active defenses
Pathogens attack specific chemicals in cell walls and can be detected by plant cells
Chemicals include specific proteins and glycolipids
-Plant responds by fortifying the defence already present
-Increasing physical defenses and producing defensive chemicals
Active defenses that increase the physical defense
1)Cell walls thickened and strengthened with additional cellulose
2)Deposition of callose between the plant cell wall and plasma membrane near invading pathogen
- Callose impedes cellular penetration at the site of infection
-Strengthens cell wall and blocks plasmodesmata
-Oxidative bursts produce highly reactive Oxygen molecules capable of damaging cells and invading organisms
-Increase in production of chemicals
Chemicals
-Terpenoids
-Phenols
-Alkaloids
-defensive proteins (defensins)
-Hydrolytic enzymes
Terpenoids
Range of essential oils that have antibacterial properties and antifungal properties
-Also create a scent i.e. menthols/ menthones produced by mint plants
Phenols - helps prevent spread of pathogens
Antibiotic/antifungal
Tannins:
-Found in bark inhibit insect attack
-Bind to salivary proteins and digestive enzymes such as trypsin and chymotrypsin, deactivating enzymes
-Insects that ingest high amounts of tannins do not grow and will die
Alkaloids
Nitrogen-containing compounds i.e. caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, morphine, solanine
-Bitter to inhibit herbivore feeding
-Act on a variety of metabolic reactions via inhibiting/ activating enzyme action
-Some alkaloids inhibit protein synthesis
-If plants can reduce grazing by large animals then suffer less damage
Defensive proteins (defensins)
Small cytsteine rich-proteins that have broad anti-microbial activity
-Appear to act upon molecules in the plasma membrane of pathogens possibly by inhibiting the action of ion transport channels
Hydrolytic enzymes
Found in spaces between cells
-Chitinases - break down chitin in fungal cell walls
-Glucanases - hydrolyse the glycosidic bond in glucans
-Lysozymes - degrade bacterial cell walls
Necrosis
Deliberate cell suicide
-Kills plant cells in infected areas and limits pathogens’ access to water and nutrients thus stopping it from spreading further around the plant
-Intracellular enzymes activated on injury
-Enzymes destroy damaged cells and produce brown spots on leaves/dieback
Canker
Sunken necrotic lesion in woody tissue ie. main stem/branch
-Causes death of the cambium tissue in bark
Primary defenses
Non- specific defenses that prevent pathogens entry into the body
What are the primary defenses
-Skin
-Blood clotting and skin repair
-Mucous membrane s
-Coughing/sneezing
-inflammation
The skin as a primary defense
Outer layer - epidermis and consists of layers of cells - Keratinocytes
-Produced by mitosis at the base of the epidermis
-Migrate out to the surface of the skin
-As migrate they dry out and cytoplasm is replaced with the protein keratin - Keratinisation
-30 days
-When cells reach the surface no longer alive
-Keratinsied layer of dead cells acts as an effective defense against pathogens
-Eventually dead cells slough off
What must happen when the skin is damaged
Abrasions/lacerations - the body must prevent excess blood loss by forming a clot, making a temporary seal to prevent infection, and repair the skin
Blood clotting
-Involves calcium ions and 12 factors (Clotting factors)
-many of the factors are released from platelets and from the damaged tissue (factors activate the enzyme cascade)
What must be prevented in blood clotting
Blood clots forming in the blood vessels
Once the clot has formed
Begins to dry out and form a scab
-Scab shrinks as it dries and draws the side of the cut together - temporary seal under which the skin is repaired
Stages of the skin repair
1) Deposition of the fibrous collagen under the scab
2) Stems cells in the epidermis divide by mitosis to form new cells
3) New cells migrate to the edges of curt and differentiate to form new skin
4) New blood vessels grow to supply O2 and nutrients to the new tissue
5) Tissues contract to draw edges of the cut together so repair can be completed
Formation of new skin
1) Deposition of fibrous collagen under the scab
2) Stem cells in the epidermis then divide by mitosis to form new cells
3) New cells migrate to the edges of the cut and differentiate to form new skin
4) New blood vessels grow to supply O2 to new tissues
5) Tissues contract to help draw edges of the cut together so that the repair can be completed
6) Scab released
Enzyme cascade
1) Damage to blood vessels releases clotting factors
2) Platelets bind to collagen to release clotting factors
3) Inactive thrombokinase in blood (factor X) to active thrombokinase (an enzyme)
4)Prothrombin in blood with calcium ions to active thrombin (an enzyme)
5) Solubefibrinoge in plasma to insolube fibrin
6) Fibres attach to platelets in the plug
7) Clot
Other ways in which a clot can be formed
1) Platelets bind to collagen and release clotting factors - temporary platelet plug formed - clot
2) RBC and platelets trapped - clot
Mucous membranes
Certain substances such as food and O2 enter the blood and may harbor microorganisms
-Exchange surfaces thinner and less protected
-Cilia/ goblet cells / extra mucous secreting gland under the epithelium - move down trachea where it can enter esophagus and killed by acidic conditions of the stomach