types of pathogen Flashcards

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1
Q

what are the 4 main types of pathogen

A

bacteria
virus
fungi
protoctist

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2
Q

outline the basic structure of bacteria

A
  • prokaryotic cells
  • no membrane bound organelles
  • DNA in a plasmid ring floating freely in the cytoplasm
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3
Q

what are the 2 types of bacteria

A

GRAM positive or negative

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4
Q

how do bacteria reproduce

A

binary fission - cell doubles in size and splits in 2

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5
Q

give 3 examples of diseases caused by bacteria

A

tuberculosis
bacterial meningitis
ring rot

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6
Q

tuberculosis
- organisms affected
- how does is spread

A
  • affects mammals
  • spreads via airborne germs
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7
Q

bacterial meningitis
- organisms affected
- how does is spread

A
  • affects humans, mostly babies
  • spreads via saliva
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8
Q

ring rot
- organisms affected
- how does is spread

A
  • affects potato plants
  • spreads through soil + water
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9
Q

outline the basic structure of viruses

A
  • non living infectious agent
  • RNA surrounded by protein
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10
Q

how do viruses reproduce

A

by the lytic and lysogenic cycles

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11
Q

what is the lysogenic cycle

A
  • virus attaches to cell
  • injects RNA which becomes incorporated into hosts DNA
  • virus genetic information is spread when cell DNA is replicated
  • proteins made - these form viruses
  • this can go on indefinitely
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12
Q

what is the lytic cycle

A
  • virus attaches to cell
  • injects RNA which becomes incorporated into hosts DNA
  • virus genetic information is spread when cell DNA is replicated
  • proteins made - these form viruses
  • these break/lyse the cell and spread
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13
Q

how do viruses burst out of host cells

A

they perforate the membrane, causing water to flow in so the cell bursts

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14
Q

why can some viruses remain undetected for a long time

A

this is because they can remain in the lysogenic cycle indefinitely before switching to the lytic cycle + burst out

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15
Q

why is virus genetic material hard for host cells to detect

A

they use reverse transcription to turn RNA into DNA so its less noticeable

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16
Q

what type of organism is always pathogenic + why

A

viruses - they can only reproduce with a host cell, parasitic
- they can also cause disease in any organism

17
Q

give 3 examples of diseases caused by viruses

A
  • AIDS through HIV
  • influenza
  • tobacco mosaic virus
18
Q

AIDS
- organisms affected
- how does it spread

A
  • affects humans
  • progression of HIV which spreads through exchange in sex / bodily fluids
19
Q

influenza
- organisms affected
- how does it spread

A
  • affects humans + some animals
  • spreads via airborne germs
20
Q

tobacco mosaic virus
- organisms affected
- how does it spread

A
  • affects tobacco plants
  • spreads on workers hands / tools
21
Q

2 things that make fungi different from other types of pathogen

A
  • often they are multicellular
  • they tend to grow on organisms rather than invading bodies/cells - so less harmful
22
Q

how do fungi gain nutrients

A

they are saprophytic - feed on decaying matter
they can also be parasitic

23
Q

what type of fungi are pathogenic + why

A

parasitic fungi are pathogenic - they feed on living organisms

24
Q

how do fungi reproduce

A

by releasing spores which can spread huge distances

25
Q

give 3 examples of diseases caused by fungi

A
  • black sigatoka
  • ringworm
  • athletes foot
26
Q

black sigatoka
- organisms affected
- how does it spread

A
  • affects banana plants
  • spreads through spores
27
Q

ringworm
- organisms affected
- how does it spread

A
  • affects dogs + cats - it can pass to humans
  • spreads via skin contact
28
Q

athletes foot
- organisms affected
- how does it spread

A
  • affects humans
  • spreads via skin contact with infected skin / surfaces
29
Q

outline the basic structure of protoctists

A
  • single celled eukaryotes
  • live in colonies
30
Q

what type of protoctist are pathogenic

A

parasitic ones - these feed on living hosts

31
Q

how do protoctists reproduce

A

binary fission

32
Q

give 2 examples of diseases caused by protoctists

A
  • malaria
  • potato late blight
33
Q

malaria
- organisms affected
- how does it spread

A
  • affects reptiles + mammals + birds
  • spreads through mosquito vectors - it affects RBCs, reproduces and bursts out
34
Q

potato late blight
- organisms affected
- how does is spread

A
  • affects potato / tomato plants
  • spreads via spores