Pathogens

Virus

- Made up of a piece of genetic code, and protected by a coating of protein.
Viruses invade host cells within your body when infected (they live inside another cell)

Diseases Caused:
- Common Cold - flu - meningitis -mononucleosis warts

- Antibiotics do not kill viruses and therefore are ineffective as a treatment for viral infections. Antiviral medications can sometimes be used, depending on the virus.

- Viral diseases are hard to treat because many can withstand heat, chemicals, and large doses of radiation

- Some viruses can remain dormant for a time before multiplying again. When this happens, a person appears to have recovered from the viral infection, but gets sick again.

- After the replication cycle is complete, these new viruses are released from the host cell. This usually damages or destroys the infected cells.

- Use parts of the host cell to replicate, producing more viruses.

Asepsis
- Asepsis is defined as the absence of disease-producing microorganisms, or pathogens.
- Aseptic techniques are directed toward maintaining cleanliness and eliminating or preventing contamination.
- Common aseptic techniques include handwashing, good personal hygiene, use of disposable gloves when contacting body secretions or contaminated objects, proper cleaning of instruments and equipment, and thorough cleaning of the environment.
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Fungi

- There are millions of different fungal species on Earth. They are primitive plants that inhabit our environment

Diseases Caused: - ---- Yeast infections
- Thrush
- Ringworm
- athlete’s foot
- jock itch
- fungal nail infections

- Some new strains of fungal infections are proving to be especially dangerous

- Fungi cells contain a nucleus and other components protected by a membrane and a thick cell wall. Their structure can make them harder to kill.

- They cause infection when they overgrow.

Bacteria

- Microorganisms made of a single cell
Very diverse
Live in just about any environment, i.e. human body

Diseases Caused:
- Staphylococcal infections -pneumonia -Strep throat

- Your body can be more prone to bacterial infections when your immune system is compromised by a virus. The disease state caused by a virus enables normally harmless bacteria to become pathogenic

- Most of the time bacteria isn't causing diseases - but the toxins that are produced by the bacteria

- Not all cause infections, but those that do are called pathogenic bacteria.

Septicemia (sepsis)aemia (sepsis)
- caused by the body's response to an infection
- The body normally releases chemicals into the bloodstream to fight an infection.

- Sepsis occurs when the body's response to these chemicals is out of balance
- triggering changes that can damage multiple organ systems.

Septic Shock
- Sepsis can progress to septic shock when changes in the circulatory system, the body's cells and how the body uses energy become more abnormal

Parasites

- Parasites are organisms that behave like tiny animals, living in or on a host and feeding from or at the expense of the hostl. Though parasitic infections are more common in tropical and subtropical regions, they can occur anywhere.
protozoa, which are single-celled organisms that can live and multiply in your body

Diseases Caused:

- Giardiasis -trichomoniasis -malaria -toxoplasmosis

- They can be spread several ways, including through contaminated soil, water, food, and blood, as well as through sexual contact and via insect bites.

- ectoparasites, which are multi-celled organisms that live on or feed off your skin, including some insects, such as ticks and mosquitos

- helminths, which are larger, multi-celled organisms that can live inside or outside your body and are commonly known as worms