transmitting disease

• Protoctista - Digest and use cell contents as they reproduce
• fungi - produce toxins or simply digest the living cells
• virus - take over cell metabolism and insert genetic information. New copies burst out of the cell destroying it and infecting other cells
• bacteria - produce toxins. these may break down the cell membrane of infected cells, may inactivate essential enzymes or may inhibit genetic material preventing future division .
• how might diseases be transmitted -

  • direct contact
  • ingestion
  • fomites
  • vectors
  • inoculation
  • direct infection
• Transmission of disease can be broadly separated into two categories: Indirect and Direct
• Direct Transmission is when the pathogen is transferred directly from one individual to another -

  • Direct contact i.e. kissing or exchange of bodily fluids, skin to skin, faecal contact
  • Inoculation i.e. breaks in skin, needle injuries, animal bites
  • Ingestion i.e. taking in contaminated food or drink
• Indirect Transmission is where the pathogen travels from one individual to another indirectly -

  • Fomites i.e. inanimate objects
  • Inhalation/droplet infection
  • Vectors- transmit pathogens from one host to another.
• Direct contact of a healthy plant with a diseased plant can lead to direct transmission, examples of indirect mechanisms of transmission include -

  • Contaminated soil - spores may be left from pathogens
  • Vectors - wind may carry spores, water may carry spores, animals (birds) and humans