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Questions and Answers
What is a characteristic of Endospore-forming bacteria?
What is a characteristic of Endospore-forming bacteria?
What is the main function of fungi in the environment?
What is the main function of fungi in the environment?
How do protozoa typically move?
How do protozoa typically move?
What is a common mode of transmission for fungal infections?
What is a common mode of transmission for fungal infections?
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What is a characteristic of fungal cell walls?
What is a characteristic of fungal cell walls?
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What is the primary source of nutrition for fungi?
What is the primary source of nutrition for fungi?
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What is the typical habitat of protozoa?
What is the typical habitat of protozoa?
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What is a type of fungal infection that affects the outer skin layer?
What is a type of fungal infection that affects the outer skin layer?
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What is the definition of a disease?
What is the definition of a disease?
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What is the primary difference between an infectious disease and a non-infectious disease?
What is the primary difference between an infectious disease and a non-infectious disease?
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What is the term used to describe a disease that can be transmitted from plant to plant or from animal to animal?
What is the term used to describe a disease that can be transmitted from plant to plant or from animal to animal?
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What is the primary characteristic of bacteria?
What is the primary characteristic of bacteria?
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How do bacteria reproduce?
How do bacteria reproduce?
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What is the purpose of a Gram stain in identifying bacteria?
What is the purpose of a Gram stain in identifying bacteria?
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How can bacteria cause disease in humans?
How can bacteria cause disease in humans?
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What is the primary way bacteria are transmitted?
What is the primary way bacteria are transmitted?
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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.
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Description
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.
