Tetanus and Gastroenteritis Flashcards
What bacteria causes Tetanus?
Where is Clostridium tetani (C. tetani) found? How does Clostridium tetani enter the body?
Clostridium tetani occurs naturally in low oxygen environments including soil and can enter the body through puncture wounds. (Commonly rusty metals or some animal scratches)
What happens when tetani enters your body? What do the toxins cause and what are the symptoms?
When the tetani bacteria enters your body it multiplies and releases poisons, allowing the toxins to cause muscle spasms and for the jaw to stiffen. Some severe symptoms may include respiratory failure and heart attack.
How can we avoid getting tetanus?
Tetanus is preventable with vaccines but require five year boosters.
What causes Gastroenteritis?
Salmonella enteritis is a bacterium that causes gastroenteritis (food poisoning)
What causes the salmonella infection?
Salmonella cab be caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry and eggs.
In order to expel the salmonella pathogen, what does the body do? What are some of the effects of contracting salmonella?
In order to expel the pathogen, the body induces vomiting and diarrhoea and because of this, the body becomes dehydrated. The released poisons from S. Enteritis cause the body to have fevers, headaches and severe stomach pains.
How can gastroenteritis be prevented?
Gastroenteritis can be prevented with good hygiene which includes washing hands, sanitise all food preparations surfaces, keep high risk foods such as meet and dairy products seperate and use different utensils for raw and cooked food.
