Type

Information---

viruses

·  microscopic core of genetic material (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coating

·  causes illness when it infects a living cell

·  viruses are not usually considered to be living things

·  viruses are not made up of cells

·  viruses do not carry out any of the functions of life except reproduction

·  needs a host cell to reproduce

·  enzymes permit genetic material into host’s DNA---virus benefits because the host cell now produces the virus

·  needs the host cell to replicate the virus’ DNA

·  kills the host cell and releases the viruses to infect/kill more cells

·   Antibiotics are not effective against viruses.

·  AIDS---acquired immunodeficiency syndrome---immune cells involved (T cells); T cells are WBC that are produced in bone marrow and matures in the thymus

·   HIV---human immunodeficiency virus---impacts immune system (ability to fight off infections such as pneumonia); destroys WBC

·  Many plant diseases are caused by viruses. Plant scientists are using a vaccine to protect elm trees against the Dutch elm virus.

Illness

Symptoms

Mode of Transmission/Vector

Common cold

nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing

inhaling the virus if you are sitting close to someone who sneezes, or by touching your nose, eyes, or mouth after you have touched something contaminated by the virus

Influenza (flu)

***more severe than the common cold

chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness/fatigue and general discomfort

Airborne droplets

***people lack immunity to new strain

Smallpox

Backache, delirium, fatigue, high fever, raised pink rash (turns into sores that become crusty on day 8 or 9), vomiting, severe headache

Direct contact

***contagious

Polio (poliovirus)

Muscle aches, loss of reflexes, (in 1% will result in paralysis), flu like symptoms

Direct contact with infected mucus/phlegm or fecal material

HIV/AIDS

fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, vomiting or diarrhea

Body fluids or sexual contact

Human papilloma virus (HPV)

*** cervical cancer is associated with HPV; usually no symptoms

Direct contact

Yellow fever

Fever, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, abdominal pain

Bite of infected mosquitoes

measles

high fever, tiredness, muscle aches, irritability, red and watery eyes, swelling of the eyelids, hacking cough, runny nose, rash

Coughing or sneezing

**highly contagious

mumps

Fever, tiredness, muscle aches, loss of appetite, sore throat, chills

Airborne droplets

West Nile virus

high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness, paralysis

Mosquitoes or ticks

Swine flu (H1N1)

fever, cough, sore throat, runny/stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue, vomiting diarrhea

Coughing or sneezing

Type

Information---

bacteria

(bacterium)

·  single-celled organisms

·  many bacteria are useful, but many others are pathogens

·  cell of a bacterium does not have a nucleus contained in a nuclear membrane

·  lack the other organelles of plant and animal cells

·  able to spread due to an access to new hosts

·  enter body through food, water, or cuts in skin

·  reproduce quickly (every 20-30 minutes)

·  many can be treated by antibiotics; misuse leads to resistant bacteria; negative impact on good bacteria in intestinal tract

·  disrupt normal cell functions (toxins/poisons)

·  dental caries (cavities) caused by bacteria in mouth (favorable for nutrients)

·  lactic acid bacteria---break down lactose (sugar in milk and milk products)

·  meat---multiply quickly, survive, and grow when left out

·  bacteria aids in digestion -- Escherichia coli (E. coli );  production of vitamin K and certain B vitamins

·  decomposers and nitrogen fixation process

·  production of foods---cottage cheese, buttermilk, yogurt;  Vinegar and sauerkraut are also produced by the action of bacteria on ethyl alcohol and cabbage, respectively.

·  Pseudomonas putida is a petroleum-eating bacteria.

Disease

Bacterium

Effect on Body

Mode of Transmission/Vector

Lyme disease

Borrelia burgdorferi

“Bulls-eye” rash at site of tick bite, fever, fatigue, muscle aches, joint aches

deer ticks

Tetanus

Clostridium tetani

Muscle spasms, paralysis, death

spores are in soil, dust, and animal waste and can survive there for many years; disease typically follows an acute injury that results in a break in the skin

Tuberculosis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Fatigue, weight loss, mild fever, cough, death

passed from person to person via droplets; when someone with TB infection coughs, sneezes, or talks, tiny droplets of saliva or mucus are expelled into the air, which can be inhaled by another person

Diphtheria

Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Sore throat, low-grade fever, difficulty swallowing and breathing, death

transmission is airborne or direct contact;   disease by invading the tissues lining the throat and producing diphtheria toxin

Strep throat

Streptococcus pyogenes

Fever, sore throat, swollen glands

contagious; transmitted by close contact with the saliva or nasal secretions from an infected individual, typically in the form of airborne respiratory droplets

Cholera

Vibrio cholerae

causes increased release of water in the intestines, which produces severe diarrhea; rapid dehydration; vomiting

Exposure to contaminated water or food

Food poisoning

Salmonella

gastroenteritis

Fever, sweating, abdominal pains

Ingested in food and water

Pneumonia (bacterial form)

Streptococcus pneumoniae

(most common)

Fever, chills, chest pain

to aspirate bacteria from your upper airway, usually your oral cavity; other ways to catch pneumonia can be by breathing in infected air droplets from someone who has pneumonia

Typhoid fever

Salmonella typhi

diarrhea, severe fever, headache, apathy, rash, abdominal pain

Food and water contamination

Botulism

Clostridium botulinum

abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, paralysis, death

Food contamination

Type

Information---

fungi

(fungus)

·  single-celled and multicelled (multicellular) organisms

·  most fungi that cause disease are single-celled

·  yeasts, molds, and mildews are single-celled fungi

·  mushrooms and shelf fungi are multicelled fungi

·  cells of fungi include a nucleus and organelles surrounded by membranes

·  most fungi that cause disease in humans are single-celled

·  ringworm---skin infection (common one is athlete’s foot)

·  molds---cause problems when people inhale mold or spores (reproductive cells); once in lungs can cause allergic reactions, asthma attacks, and pneumonia

Type

Information---

parasites

·  organism that lives on or in another organism

·  uses the tissues or fluids of its host as a source of food

·  overtime this may weaken or sicken the host

Parasite

Disease

How Disease is Spread

Trypanosoma brucei

Sleeping sickness

(destroys RBC; lethargic)

The tsetse fly transfers the organism from another host, such as a cow.

Entamoeba histolytica

Amoebic dysentery

Parasites are acquired from contaminated water or from food contaminated by untreated sewage.

Plasmodium vivax

Malaria

The Anopheles mosquito transfers the organism to the human bloodstream.

Ascaris lumbriocoides

Roundworm

The organism invades the gastrointestinal tract after its eggs are consumed in contaminated food.

Enterobius vermicularis

Pinworm

The worm’s eggs are consumed in contaminated food. The worms hatch and move into the colon, where they lay more eggs. Contaminated hands lead to reinfestation and contamination of more food.