An infectious disease-causing agent is the pathogen (living micro-organism be it bacterial, viral or parasitic) that can cause disease to its host. The major infectious disease causing agents are bacteria (germ), virus, rickettsia (louse) and parasite.
Bacteria are single-celled (unicellular) living organisms with tiny flagella (a tail like appendage that they use to swim). They are invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen with a microscope. They generally have cell walls and may appear in one of several shapes. Bacillus (rodlike), coccus (spherical or ovoid), and spiral (corkscrew or curved). They reproduce by dividing themselves into equal cells (daughter cells). This process is called binary fission. They live in and reproduce in warm, moist environments in the body and other areas where they grow quickly, causing an infection.
Many bacterial diseases generally produce inflammation, swelling and pain from nerve irritation and fever caused by increased body temperature by the body fighting the disease. Bacterial infections can usually be treated with antibiotic. Some examples of bacterial disease are: Cholera - caused by the ingestion of contaminated water and food containing the vibrio cholerae agent by excrement of an individual with the disease. A second one is Syphilis. Syphilis spread by sexual intercourse of an infected person to the sexual partner or from an infected mother to her fetus containing the disease agent Treponema pallidium. Other bacterial diseases include; Dysentery, Leprosy, Plague and Scarlet Fever just to name a few.
Viruses unlike bacteria are smaller and can only be seen using an electron microscope. They are acellular (not cellular) and are structurally very simple. This makes viruses the smallest life form existing. A virus contains a core made of one type of nuclei acid molecule, which can either be a DNA or RNA. This contains the virus's genes. The core of a virus is usually covered by a protein coat and sometimes may be encased by an additional layer (lipid (fat) membrane) called an envelop. They can be rod-shaped, sphere-shaped, or multisided.
Viruses lack the means for self-reproduction outside a host cell and depend on their host cellular system to reproduce. Thus in a sense, they are parasite of a different life form. Unlike parasites however, they are not considered to be to be truly alive. This is due to the fact that when they are outside of a living host they are inert, and are considered living when they multiply within a host cell that they infect. The virus DNA enters cells and uses its DNA to make copy of itself, similar to what the ordinary cell would do. This means that the host body cell is tricked into making many copies of the virus inside the cell host cell thus, killing the cell where the viruses then enter (infecting) other cells to repeat the process. Inside the body viruses produce toxins (poisons) that can cause rashes, aches and fevers. A Virus is very difficult to kill and cannot be killed with antibiotics like bacteria. Some examples of viral diseases are: Aids - transmitted through bodily fluid through from an infected human to another through semen, vaginal secretion, blood and the sharing of needles by the disease agent HIV 1 and HIV 11 and Smallpox - through human to human contact through sneezing and coughing by the disease agent variola. Others include Influenza, Yellow Fever and Lassa Fever just to name a few.
Rickettsia is any group of parasitic bacteria that live in arthropods (e.g. ticks, lice, fleas and mites) and can cause disease if transmitted to humans. Thus, transmission occurs through the infected arthropod vector. Rickettsiae can only survive inside cells and is spread through the bloodstream of the host. They divide (reproduce) by a process called binary fission. Therefore, Rickettsia is some where between bacteria and viruses in comparison. Rickettsia cause disease by the damaging blood vessels in various tissues and organs. Rickettsial diseases basically fall into 4 groups and some example are: 1. Typhus: epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, murine (endemic) typhus, and Brill-Zinsser disease; 2. spotted fever-Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Eastern tick-borne rickettsioses, and rickettsialpox; 3. trench fever and 4. Q fever.
Finally, parasites are organisms whose survival depends on other organisms (the host) to feed , grow and live. They live in or on the living tissue of a host organism which may cause disease to it and generally without killing the host. There are several different sizes of parasites which can be either single-celled protozoa or multi-celled parasites (e.g. worms, flukes, and insects). The infection from a parasite are often transmitted through contact with an intermediate vector or from the result of direct contact with the parasite. Some examples of parasitic infections are : Hookworm - a worm larva that hatch from eggs containing the disease agent Ancylostoma duodenal or Necator americanus found in stool of an infected organism which penetrate the skin of the victim and continue its life cycle. A second one is malaria. Malaria is disease caused by a protozoan parasites (of disease agents; P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae) which is transmitted by the bite of an infected female mosquito of the genus Anopheles. Others include Schistosomiasis and Trypanoso.
Labels: Biology, Health, History
Hepatitis C is the most common chronic blood borne pathogen in the United States. Hepatitis Dcan be found in the blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and other body fluids of people who are infected. Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood and infected bodily fluids.
Scrapie is transmitted among sheep and goats through ingestion of contaminated feed or placental tissues, or through direct contact with infected animals or their bodily fluids. It is believed to be caused by an abnormal protein called a prion that can be shed in bodily fluids and tissues of infected animals.
Lysozyme is an enzyme that acts as an antibiotic by breaking down the cell walls of bacteria, causing them to burst and die. It is found in tears, saliva, and other bodily fluids as part of the immune system's defense against bacterial infections.
The spread of foodborne diseases and person-to-person diseases both involve the transfer of infectious agents. However, foodborne diseases typically result from consuming contaminated food or water, while person-to-person diseases are often transmitted through direct contact, respiratory droplets, or bodily fluids. Both can be prevented by practicing good hygiene, following food safety guidelines, and maintaining personal health measures.
The hepatitis B illness is caused by the hepatitis B virus, a species of the genus Orthohepadnavirus.
We have transmitted the signal.She transmitted the disease to her lover.
Yes, Lymes disease can be transmitted trough contact with blood, for it is spread through the Deer Tick, which is a blood sucking insect that carries the disease . Because of this, it can be transmitted trough the blood, but not other bodily fluids.
Yes.HIV can be transmitted tough bodily fluids
A bloodborne pathogen is a disease causing agent in the blood such as a virus (HIV, HBV, or Herpes) or bacteria (TB, Gonorrhea). Corrected: Bloodborne Pathogens means, disease causing organisms transmitted by blood and other body fluids. Most common bloodborne pathogens are Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C & HIV.
No. Lyme disease is a tick-borne infectious disease.While it may be possible to get Lyme disease through sexual intercourse with an infected person, there is still research being done to prove or disprove this theory.It is not, however, a sexually transmitted disease.Some say Lyme Disease can not be sexually transmitted and that Lyme Disease is transmitted through a tick that is infected with it. However, research has proven that the lyme bacterium can be transmitted through any biting insect not just ticks. Also one of the lyme bacterium is a spirochete (Borrelia Berdorfi). A well known sexually transmitted disease is syphilis which is a spirochete.Till further studies prove this wrong I would assume that Lyme can be transmitted through the sharing of body fluids.
Yes, if you share a needle with someone who has a sexually transmitted Disease/Infection then you too can contract said disease/infection. Disease/infection needs transfer of bodily fluids to spread.
Yes, you can. The AIDS virus can be transmitted through several bodily fluids such as blood, sperm, and vaginal secretions. Consuming any of these fluids can result in contracting the disease if your partner is HIV positive.
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is not transmitted. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes someone to develop AIDS. HIV is transmitted by contact with body fluids; blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. Many diseases can be transmitted by the same body fluids including a variety of STD's and bloodborne illnesses like hepatitis.
viruses can be transmitted by person to individual bodily fluids like HIV.
Mono is spread through saliva, with an incubation period of 4 to 7 weeks, giving it the nickname the 'Kissing Disease'.
No. It is transmitted by body fluids which can include sweat, sexual fluids and blood.
Influenza, or the flu, is caused by a virus. It is infectious because it is transmitted by body fluids with contact to mucous membranes and can be transmitted via the airborne route.