communicable disease

• pathogens are microorganisms that enter the body and cause disease
• pathogens can be bacteria, viruses, protists or fungi
• bacteria are very small living cells
• bacteria make you feel ill by producing toxins that damage cells and tissues
• viruses are not cells
• bacteria live inside cells and replicate themselves using the cell's machinery to produce many copies of themselves
• protists are single-celled eukaryotes
• malaria is an example of a protist
• some fungi have a body made up of hyphae
• the hyphae in fungi can produce spores, which can spread to other plants or animals
• pathogens can be spread through water, air or direct contact
• cholera is a bacterial infection that's spread by contaminated drinking water
• the influenza virus is spread in the air
• athelete's foot is a pathogen spread by direct contact