pathogens & bacteria

• multiplication- when bacteria gets inside it multiplies quickly through binary fission (divides in two )
• toxins

  • bacteria release harmful substances that damage tissues and organs
• immune system overload

  • body tries to fight bacteria which can call inflammation and fever
• how does bacteria spread inside?


  through multiplication, toxins and immune system overload
• what happens in the body?

  there is infections, systemic infections and tissue damage
• 1. bacteria infects the body
  2. starts multiplying and causes damage to tissues
  3. immune system sends white blood cells to infected area to fight bacteria ( neutrophils, attack and kill bacteria)
• bacteria cell

  • single celled prokaryotes
  • variety of shapes
  • cell wall, cell membrane, single strand of DNA, cytoplasm and flagellum
  • some have a slime layer on outside of cell wall
  • have plasmids
• prokaryotes

  • primitive cells without a nucleus
• eukaryotes

  • have a membrane bound nucleus & organelles
• plasmid

  • extra ring of DNA in bacteria, sometime is thought to take role in antibiotic resistance
• bacteria reproduction

  • through binary fission - called exponential growth cells double each time it divides
  • bacteria needs a nutrient rich, warm and moist environment to be able to reproduce at a faster rate
• binary fission

  • makes a copy of its DNA
  • DNA copies move to opposite ends of cell
  • cells grow bigger and start to split in middle
  • cell divides into two identical cells - own copy of DNA
• Endospores

  • also known as endospores
  • not a method of reproduction - method of survival
• salmonella - infection of the intestines - zoonotic
• camplyobacter - bacterial infection of the gut - zoonotic
• bartonella henselae - cat scratch disease - zoonotic
• •Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae - •Leptospirosis or Weil’s disease – zoonotic disease
• •Borellia - •Lyme’s disease (tick vector) – zoonotic disease
• •Chlamydophila psittaci - •Psittacosis or Parrot fever – zoonotic disease
• •Mycobacterium bovis - •Bovine tuberculosis – can be zoonotic / NOTIFIABLE