Microorganisms, Infectious Diseases
By: Alex Covington
Standards
8.L.1.2 Explain the difference between epidemic and pandemic as it relates to the spread, treatment and prevention of disease
What is Microbiology?
Student friendly: The branch of science that deals with microorganisms.
The 4 most known Pathogens
Viruses
Q:What are those?
A: Viruses are non-living organisms that are small and they can change mutate.
Q: How do they work?
A: They infect a host cell and replicates to cause illness and disease
Q: What are some examples of a virus?
A: Herpes, AIDS, and the Chicken Pox
Bacteria
Q: What is that?
A: Bacteria- single-celled prokaryotes that can cause disease, multiplies rapidly, and can form colonis.
Q: How do they work?
A: They reproduce by binary fusion. The cell grows, copies its DNA or RNA, stretches, then splits into two identical cells.
Q: What can bacteria cause?
A: It can cause Salmonella, Salmonella is a type of food poisoning.
Fungi
Q: What is that
A: Fungi is a single-celled or multi-cellular organism,
Q: How does it work?
A: It can decompose or absorb organic matter.
Q: What are some example of fungi?
A: Yeast, mold, or mushrooms.
Parasite
Q: What is that?
A: An organism that lives in or on another organism, called a host.
Q: How does it work?
A: It takes nutrients from the host, often harming it in the process.
Q: What are some examples of a Parasite?
A: Tapeworms, fleas, and barnacles.
Outbreak, Epidemic, Pandemic
- Outbreak- Occurrence of a disease greater than would be expected at a particular time and place.
- Epidemic- An outbreak of a disease that affects many people in an area of a specific country or region.
- Pandemic- An epidemic that spreads over a very large are or throughout the entire world.
Vocab Words
Pathogen- A virus, bacteria, fungi, parasite, or protozoa that can cause illness or infection
Protozoa- Diverse organisms that cannot be classified as animals, plants or fungi.