Exam 18: Special Topic: Infectious Disease

Cholera is spread by contaminated food and water. The bacterium kills by changing the permeability of the cells of the large intestine. Which therapy would give the best chance of saving a person with cholera, given the information in this chapter?

A pathogen is a disease-causing organism, but not all pathogens are alike. Some pathogens are more dangerous than others. When describing the relative ability of a pathogen to cause disease, we are considering its ________.

A virus differs from a bacterium in that a virus ________.

________ are disease-causing organisms that invade a person's body.

Antibiotics stop working effectively when antibiotic resistance occurs. Which of the following does not contribute to an increase in antibiotic resistance?

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium found in the bloodstream of small woodland rodents such as mice or chipmunks and also found occasionally in deer. Yet humans get this disease without coming into direct contact with either rodents or deer. Explain the concept of a biological vector, and discuss how humans contract Lyme disease.

Infectious proteins that are heat resistant and that cannot be destroyed by ultraviolet light or most chemicals are known as ________.

A gentleman noticed a rash, forming a target-like design, on his arm. Subsequently, he developed pain and later arthritis. The bacterium that caused his condition was most likely spread by ________.

Bacteria reproduce rapidly. It is possible for a few bacteria to grow in numbers sufficient to spoil milk left out overnight. The process by which bacteria reproduce is called ________.

________ are made by certain pathogens such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, and Clostridium botulinum. These substances often travel in the bloodstream and cause disease symptoms.

Developers wish to build a road through an isolated area where few people have ever visited before. The proposed route is wet and warm, with many species of wild rodents and other mammals. What issues concerning disease might this route raise?

Explain how antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections. What are some of the problems concerning the use of these drugs?

A camping party got lost in the wilderness for several days. They had sufficient food but misplaced their matches and could drink only the water from the clear lakes and streams in the area without boiling it. Very quickly everyone developed diarrhea that lasted the entire 8 days until they were rescued. Which type of pathogen was probably responsible?

Tetracycline antibiotics are frequently included in commercial poultry feed. Why is the practice unwise for human health in the long run?

Given the information in this chapter, why do you suppose that the rabies virus attacks mammal nervous systems but not those of crocodiles?

Bacteria that normally live on or in the body and prevent other bacteria from becoming too numerous are referred to as ________.

A disease or condition with clinically distinct symptoms whose incidence has increased, especially in the past two decades, is called ________.

What is the most effective way of killing Staphylococcus in the food you are preparing?

In some cultures, parts of the central nervous system (e.g., brains) of cattle are popular foods. Predict the issues that might arise from this practice.

A new antibiotic is introduced that will destroy only organisms lacking a nuclear membrane. A dispute develops over its safety when used in people. What arguments would you use in this discussion?