16 Questions
What is a characteristic of Endospore-forming bacteria?
They can resist heat, chemicals and desiccation
What is the main function of fungi in the environment?
Decomposition
How do protozoa typically move?
Using cilia
What is a common mode of transmission for fungal infections?
Close contact or indirect contact
What is a characteristic of fungal cell walls?
Composed of chitin
What is the primary source of nutrition for fungi?
Decomposition of dead organic matter
What is the typical habitat of protozoa?
Human gastrointestinal tract
What is a type of fungal infection that affects the outer skin layer?
Cutaneous
What is the definition of a disease?
A process or condition that adversely affects the normal functioning of a living organism or parts
What is the primary difference between an infectious disease and a non-infectious disease?
The presence of a pathogen
What is the term used to describe a disease that can be transmitted from plant to plant or from animal to animal?
Communicable Disease
What is the primary characteristic of bacteria?
They are single-celled prokaryotic organisms
How do bacteria reproduce?
Through asexual reproduction known as binary fission
What is the purpose of a Gram stain in identifying bacteria?
To identify the type of bacteria based on the composition of their cell wall
How can bacteria cause disease in humans?
Through a parasitic relationship that benefits the bacteria and harms the host
What is the primary way bacteria are transmitted?
Through close contact with an infected individual or contaminated object
Study Notes
Causes of Infectious Diseases
- Diseases result from an imbalance between defense and attack mechanisms in living organisms.
- Infectious diseases are caused by pathogens, which can be single-celled microbes, multicellular parasites, or non-cellular agents.
Classification of Pathogens
Bacteria
- Single-celled prokaryotic organisms with membrane-bound organelles and no cell wall.
- Reproduce through binary fission.
- Can be identified using a Gram stain, with some being Gram-positive and others being Gram-negative.
- Can be anaerobes, aerobes, or facultative anaerobes.
- Can form endospores, which allow them to lie dormant and resist heat, chemicals, and desiccation.
Fungi
- Eukaryotic organisms with a cell wall composed of chitin.
- Heterotrophic, meaning they do not produce their own nutrients.
- Can be unicellular (yeasts) or multicellular (molds).
- Can reproduce asexually or using both sexual and asexual reproduction.
- Can cause cutaneous, subcutaneous, or systemic infections, especially in those with weakened immunity.
Protozoa
- Microscopic, animal-like, unicellular organisms.
- Live in the human gastrointestinal tract and can cause abdominal cramps, chronic diarrhea, bloating, and weight loss.
- Can be caught through contaminated water, such as in public pools.
- Reproduce through binary fission.
- Can move using flagella or cilia.
Learn about the causes of infectious diseases, how they are transmitted, and the different types of pathogens that cause them. Understand the concept of disease and how it affects living organisms.
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