6.5-6.6 (pathogens + controlling endemics)

• Influenza virus - transmission

  air droplets
• influenza virus - mode of infection

  • injected viral RNA into epithelial cell
  • takes over cell metabolism
  • produces virions
  • viruses assemble
  • cells lyse and release virions
• influenza virus - pathogenic effect

  
  

  • headache
  • sore throat
  • vomiting
• stem rust fungus - transmission

  • wind dispersed spores
  • host crops
• stem rust function - mode of infection

  • water causes spores to germinate
  • hyphae produced
  • which enter through stomata
  • enzyme digest plant cell
• stem rust fungus - pathogenic effects

  • loss of nutrients
  • weakened stem
  • pustules on the epidermis
• what is the malarial parasite?

  • plasmodium spp
• malaria parasite - transmission

  • enters in saliva
  • of female anophele mosquito
  • as a vector during feeding
• malaria parasite - mode of infection

  • parasite enters red blood cell
  • burst and release more parasites
  • enters liver cells
  • rapid asexual reproduction
• malaria parasite - pathogenic effects

  • fever, sweating
  • headache
  • liver damage
• how is malaria controlled?

  • reduces number of mosquitos
  • reduces chance of being bitten
  • using drugs to prevent plasmodium infecting
• methods of controlling malaria

  • drain wetland where mosquito breed
  • spray with insecticides to kill
  • bed nets
  • release sterilised male mosquitos
• issues with draining wetland?

  • not possible for lakes that are used for food + income
  • large lakes span multiple countries (need approval)
  • impossible to control all breeding sites
• issue with spraying insecticides?


  chemicals harm the beneficial insects too.
• issue with using bed nets?

  • some mosquitos bite during day too.
  • some cultures not used to it
• issue with using preventative drugs?


  • resulted in drug resistant strains
  • expensive
  • side effects
• advances in controlling malaria

  • dipstick tests for diagnosis. does not require a lab
  • plasmodium genome has been sequenced. helps vaccine development
• issues when considering vaccines?

  • safety
  • hard to gain informed consent
  • money spent developing could be spent on prevention
• what is the role of the scientific community?

  • provides guidelines
  • develops and tests treatments
  • develop accurate diagnostic tools