Common Pathogens

• What is a disease?

  An illness or disorder of the body or mind
• What is associated with each disease?

  A set of signs and symptoms
• What causes communicable diseases?

  Pathogens
• How are communicable diseases transmitted?

  They can be spread between individuals
• Can both plants and animals be affected by pathogens?

  Yes
• What are the differences between infectious and non-infectious diseases?

  • Infectious diseases: caused by pathogens, transmissible
  • Examples: Cholera, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis
  • Non-infectious diseases: long-term, not caused by pathogens
  • Examples: Lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, depression
• What are some common microorganisms that are pathogens?

  Bacteria, viruses, fungi, protoctists
• Why is it important to know the pathogen causing a disease?

  To control the disease effectively
• What type of organisms are bacteria?

  Prokaryotic organisms
• Are all bacteria pathogenic?

  No, some are non-pathogenic
• How do pathogenic bacteria behave in hosts?

  They can remain in body cavities or spaces
• What disease does M. tuberculosis cause?

  Tuberculosis (TB)
• What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?

  Chronic cough and bloody mucus
• What is the relationship between tuberculosis and hygiene?

  It is often associated with poor hygiene
• Can M. bovine transmit TB to humans?

  Yes
• What causes ring rot in potato plants?

  Bacterial pathogens
• How do bacterial pathogens affect potato plants?

  They infect vascular tissue, causing wilting
• What is the characteristic symptom of ring rot in potatoes?

  A black ring of rot in tubers
• What is a key feature of viruses?

  They do not have a cellular structure
• How do viruses replicate?

  They hijack host cell machinery
• What was the first virus ever discovered?

  Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)
• What does TMV cause in plants?

  Yellowing of leaves with a mosaic pattern
• Which influenza viruses infect humans?

  Influenza A, B, and C
• What are common symptoms of influenza?

  High temperature, body aches, fatigue
• Which influenza virus causes the most cases globally?

  Influenza A
• What is the structure of the Influenza A virus?

  It has a capsid surrounding RNA
• What type of virus is HIV?

  An enveloped retrovirus
• What does reverse transcriptase do in HIV?

  Produces single-stranded DNA from viral RNA
• What happens to the double-stranded DNA in HIV?

  It is inserted into the host DNA
• How long can the HIV provirus remain inactive?

  Many years
• What happens once the HIV provirus is activated?

  It synthesizes new viruses
• What type of organisms are protists?

  Unicellular eukaryotes
• What protist causes malaria in humans?

  Plasmodium falciparum
• How is malaria transmitted?

  By mosquitoes
• What are the symptoms of malaria?

  Fever, chills, and fatigue
• What causes potato blight?

  1. infestans
• How is potato blight transmitted?

  Via spores
• What are the first signs of potato blight?

  Small, dark brown marks on leaves
• What does P. infestans destroy?

  Potato and tomato crops
• What is the structure of fungi?

  Filaments known as hyphae