Pathogens And Transmission Flashcards
What are pathogens and what are the 4 types?
A microorganism that causes disease
Virus, bacteria, fungi, protoctista
What pathogens cause certain communicable diseases?
Bacteria- tuberculosis (TB) and ring rot
Viruses- HIV/AIDS, influenza and tobacco mosaic virus
Protoctista- malaria and potato/tomato late blight
Fungi- black Sigatoka and athletes fart
How is the bacteria TB transmitted, what harm does it cause and how can it be prevented and cured?
Transmitted: through airborne droplets, move prevalent in cramped conditions
Harm: damages lung tissue and suppresses immune system
Cure/prevent: antibiotics and vaccines
What does the bacteria ring rot infect, how is it transmitted , and how is it harmful?
Infects: potatoes, tomatoes and aubergines
Transmits: infected tubers and micropropagation of plantlets from infected plants
Reduces: crops and affects livelihood of farmers
How does HIV/AIDS affect a person?
It’s transported around the body until it attaches to a protein on the helper T cell.
AIDS is when the replicated viruses in the helper T cells interfere with normal function of the immune system.
The helper T cell is destroyed by virus, the host is then unable to produce and adequate immune response to other pathogens, leaving them vulnerable.
HIV is transmitted through direct contact
How does the virus influenza cause harm, who is mots vulnerable, and how is it transmitted?
Harm: infects ciliated cells lining gas exchange surfaces
Vulnerable: young children, the elderly and people with lowered immune system
Transmit: by airborne droplets when coughing and sneezing
What does tobacco mosaic virus infect, how does it causes damage and how is it transmitted?
Infect: plants, mainly tobacco
Damage: leaves- causes mosaic pattern on them, prevents plant from growing
Transmits: infected leaves touch healthy ones or gardeners uses contaminated tools
How does the protoctista malaria cause harm, reproduce, and transmitted?
Harm: infects red blood cells, the liver and the brain
Reproduces: both sexually and asexually within mosquitoes and human hosts
Transmitted: from mosquitoes to humans when mosquitoes bite and take blood from humans
How does the protoctista Potato blight affect a pant and how is it transmitted and cured?
Damage: has hyphae which enter the plant and cause damage to the leaves and fruit
Transmitted: by spores which travel on the wind or are transferred by animals and insects from one plant to another
Cure: no cure but resistance strains have been developed
What is a pathogen and what are the main types?
A microorganism that causes disease
Virus, bacteria, fungi, protoctista
Name what pathogens cause which communicable disease in humans
Bacteria- tuberculosis (TB)
Virus- HIV/AIDS, influenza
Protoctista- malaria
Fungi- athletes foot
What does the fungal disease black sigatoka infect, how does it causes damage damage, and how is it transmitted and prevented?
Infect: bananas
Damage: causes leaves to turn black preventing plant growth
Transmits: by spores from one plant to another through wind
Cured: fungicide kills the fungus, resistance strains developed
Who does the fungal disease athletes foot infect, what is it and how does it cause damage, how is it transmitted and cured?
Infect: only humans
Damage: a type of ring worn that thrives in warm, damp regions between toes and cause the skin to crack and to become scaly, causing itchiness and soreness
Transmits: direct contact (wearing same socks/shoes)
Cured: antifungal creams
Name direct transmissions
-direct contact: touching, kissing, contact with cuts and sexual contact
-inoculation: animal bites, sharing needles and cuts in skin
-ingestion: drinking and eating contaminated food and water
Name indirect transmission
-vectors: animals passing pathogens to humans, wind and water carrying pathogens from one plant to another
-droplets: pathogens transmitted in droplets of water
-fomites: dirt bedding, socks
-contaminated soil: pathogen and their spores can remain in the soil and infect root of subsequent plants
