Professional Documents
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Week 2 Workshop 5 and 6
Week 2 Workshop 5 and 6
Week 2 Workshop 5 and 6
1. Define the terms etiology, reservoir and carrier. Explain the 3 main types of reservoirs.
Etiology – The cause, set of causes for an infectious disease.
Reservoir – Living organism or inanimate objects that provide adequate conditions for survival and
multiplication and the opportunity for transmission of a pathogen.
Carrier – A carrier is a person a person in whom organisms are present and may be multiplying, but
who shows no clinical response to their presence.
2. What are the three principal routes of infectious disease transmission among the population?
Explain the differences between the following pairs:
Airborne transmission – spreads > 1 meter (tb, measles), small droplets remain airborne
for prolonged periods e.g aerosols and dusts.
Mechanical vectors – Passive transport of pathogens on insects feet or other body parts,
e.g flies and contamination of food.
Biological Vectors – Biological transmission vectors are infected with a pathogen e,g
bacteria and protozoa and multiply in vectors. E.g. Stomach, saliva or blood.
Airborne transmission is a type of vehicle transmission. What are other types of vehicles for
microbial transmission?
Direct, indirect, droplet, oral transmission (when fecal matters from an infected person is
ingested by another person), blood and contaminated vaccine, Vertical transmission (from a
pregnant woman to her fetus, during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.
3. What are the three portals of entry for microbes? Describe how microbes gain access to the
hosts through each.
Respiratory entry, gastrointestinal entry, Urogenital entry.
4. Compare and contrast the endotoxins and exotoxins. You may use a Table. Included in your
answers:
Incubation period – Time between the actual infection and the appearance of any signs or
symptoms.
Prodromal period – relatively short time in which preliminary mild symptoms may occur.
Period of illness/invasion – Time of most active and severe stage of illness with all symptoms
apparent.
Period of decline – Signs and symptoms subside and host beings to overcome infection.
Michael Robertson, aged 4, fell off the monkey bars at Kinder and hurt his wrist. His mother was
called to pick him up. She was worried that the wrist was broken and took him to the doctor’s
clinic. When they arrived, the doctor’s waiting room was full of people. While Michael’s mother
read Women’s Weekly, Michael and the other children played with the toys. Michael pointed out
to his Mum that many of the other children looked sick and were coughing and sneezing. He also
pointed out that some of the children had very bad manners and were not covering their mouth
with their hand. Michael went to the toilet and was disappointed to find there was no toilet paper
and soap.
The doctor examined Micheal’s arm and luckily it was not broken. He suggested that Michael’s
mum give him panadol for pain relief. He then offered Michael a jelly snake to cheer him up.
However, Michael’s mums bought him back to the clinic within a few days. Michael had a fever, a
cough, a runny nose and a sore throat. He was lethargic and did not want to eat or play. The doctor
suggested that Michael probably had a viral infection and so he should be given panadol to relieve
his symptoms. However, Michael’s mother was adamant that the doctor prescribe Michael
antibiotics. The doctor prescribed antibiotics for Michael for 5 days. He also suggested that Michael
should also take a probiotic. Michael did not enjoy taking his medication or the probiotic. It was a
struggle to get him to take it. However, after Michael took panadol and the antibiotics for 2 days, he
no longer had fever and he was playing and eating normally. Michael’s mother decided that she
would stop giving him his medication
1. Is it possible that Michael contracted the infection from visiting the doctor’s clinic? If so
explain how this may have occurred. In your explanation include who is the reservoir
and give examples of how transmission may have occurred.
The reservoirs could have been the other children as they looked sick, were coughing, and
sneezing without covering their mouths therefore the bacteria would be present in the
surrounding air (near Michael). It could’ve been the toys that the children were playing with, it
could’ve have also been the door handle or the tap when Michael entered and left the toilet, since
there was no soap or toilet paper present.
2. What is the chain of transmission? What simple measure(s) may be able to help to break
the ‘chain of infection’?
The chain of transmission involves a susceptible host (Michael) being exposed to the infectious
agent (possibly a virus) through contaminated surfaces or respiratory droplets. To break the chain
of infection, simple measures such as regular handwashing with soap and water, covering the
mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and proper sanitization of toys and clinic facilities
are essential. Educating both children and parents about the importance of these practices can
significantly reduce the risk of infection transmission.
3. What is the possible etiologic agent of Michael’s condition?
The symptoms described (fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, lethargy) are common in
viral infections, such as the flu or common cold. The exact etiologic agent cannot be
determined without specific diagnostic tests. Viruses like influenza viruses or
rhinoviruses could be potential causes based on the symptoms mentioned.
4. In your opinion, should Michael have been prescribed antibiotics? Why or why not?
Antibiotics are not appropriate for viral infections; they are more effective for bacterial
infections. Excessive and unnecessary use of antibiotics can lead to an antibiotic
resistance, meaning the bacteria is harder to eliminate. Even if the doctor suspected a
viral infection, antibiotics would not have any effect on the illness,
2. Describe five (5) characteristics that differentiate a virus from other microorganisms.
Case study:
Mariam is 8 years old and already knows what she wants to be when she grows up - "a health
minister can help others and wants everyone to be healthy," she says. "I have good grades, I
know I can make it". In February 2005, soon after she experienced increased bleeding and
bruising, Mariam was diagnosed with Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) caused by virus, the
most common type of cancer in childhood. She has been receiving chemotherapy and
radiotherapy treatment since then – an almost unbearable experience.
ALL affects immature lymphocytes (lymphoblasts) developing in the bone marrow and fast
cell proliferation results in crowding in the bone marrow, and interfering with normal blood
cell production.
2) The ALL that caused by viruses is usually latent. What is a latent infection?
3) Based on your knowledge of Human Physiology, what symptoms do you expect to see in ALL
patients?
2. Describe the two main types of fungi. How they are different?