Transmission of Cholera and Malaria

Questions and Answers

What bacterium causes cholera and how is it typically transmitted?

Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae and is transmitted via contaminated water and food due to poor sanitation.

Describe how malaria is transmitted to humans.

Malaria is transmitted to humans by female Anopheles mosquitoes that bite and take up the Plasmodium protoctist from an infected person’s blood.

What is the primary way tuberculosis (TB) spreads among people?

Tuberculosis spreads when uninfected people inhale droplets containing Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are released when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

List three ways HIV can be transmitted.

HIV can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood donation, and sharing needles among intravenous drug users. Signup and view all the answers

What role do mosquitoes play in the transmission of malaria?

Mosquitoes act as vectors that transmit the Plasmodium parasite when they feed on infected human blood and then bite other humans. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how cholera can contaminate water supplies.

Cholera can contaminate water supplies when infected individuals egest large quantities of bacteria in their feces, which then reaches the water source. Signup and view all the answers

How can Plasmodium be transmitted other than through mosquito bites?

Plasmodium can also be transmitted through blood transfusion, re-used unsterile needles, or from mother to child across the placenta. Signup and view all the answers

Why does tuberculosis spread quickly in certain environments?

TB spreads quickly in overcrowded conditions where people are in close contact and can easily inhale each other’s respiratory droplets. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Transmission of Cholera

Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
The disease is primarily water-borne and food-borne, linked to inadequate sanitation.
Common transmission methods include bathing or washing in contaminated water, drinking contaminated water, and consuming food exposed to such water.
Infected individuals excrete large quantities of bacteria in their feces.
Contamination of water supplies or food handling without proper hygiene facilitates the spread of bacteria to healthy individuals.

Transmission of Malaria

Malaria is caused by protoctists belonging to the genus Plasmodium (four species).
The disease transmission relies on female Anopheles mosquitoes, which feed on human blood to develop their eggs.
If an infected person is bitten, Plasmodium enters the mosquito's system and can be transmitted to the next human host during subsequent bites.
Additional transmission routes include blood transfusions, reused unsterile needles, and from mother to child via the placenta.

Transmission of Tuberculosis (TB)

The active form of TB is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Infection occurs when droplets aerosolized by coughing or sneezing are inhaled by uninfected individuals.
TB spreads rapidly in overcrowded settings due to confined air spaces.
Mycobacterium bovis, responsible for a less common form of TB in cattle, can infect humans through consumption of contaminated meat or unpasteurized milk, although this is rare in developed countries.

Transmission of HIV/AIDS

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that does not have an insect vector for transmission.
The virus is vulnerable outside the human body and primarily spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
Key transmission methods include:
- Sexual intercourse
- Blood donation
- Sharing needles among intravenous drug users
- Mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy (across the placenta), at birth (through mixed blood), and through breastfeeding.

Description

Explore the transmission methods of two significant diseases: Cholera and Malaria. This quiz delves into the causes, vectors, and hygiene factors influencing the spread of these diseases, highlighting the role of Vibrio cholerae and Plasmodium. Test your knowledge on how these infections propagate and the importance of sanitation and vector control.