Infectious diseases:

Infectious diseases are caused by pathogens and can be

transmitted from one person to another.

a specific term for an illness characterized by a

recognizable set of symptoms

A condition
in which
the normal
of
some
part

A variety of

are capable of
You must know the
main types of disease
and infections. i.e.
(Bacterial, Fungal,
Viral and protozoan)

Causing

Pathogens spread
in many ways
Contact.
Person to person
Contact (body fluids)
e.g. HIV/AIDS
Food e.g.
Salmonella
Water e.g. cholera
Air e.g. Colds and
Flu
Vectors. e.g. malaria
(Plasmodium sp.)

Many
bacteria (like
the cholera
bacterium)
produce
endotoxins
(poisons).
These toxins
cause
diarrhoea.

Vectors: the term

vector refers to
animals that can
spread pathogens.
Flies can transfer
pathogenic
bacteria causing
dysentery.

Malaria: a disease caused

by a protozoan parasite.
Of the plasmodium sp.
Anopheles mosquitos are
vectors that carry this
pathogen!

They feed on blood,

passing on the protozoan
from person to person.

It is one of the most

widespread infectious
diseases in the
world... And has a
huge impact in
Africa...

HIV / AIDS: Main transmission routes.

sexual transmission
(semen and vaginal
secretions)

sharing of
needles/failure to
sterilise needles
effectively

mother to baby during delivery

and during breast feeding

Transmission methods & The symptoms of the disease

The transmission of HIV
requires the transfer of,
or direct contact with,
infected body fluids.
The most important of
these is blood, which
contains 1000 to 100,000
infective viruses per ml,
and semen, which
contains about 10 to 50
viruses per ml.

The viruses are often located within cells

in these fluids, especially in
macrophages. (White blood cells)

Resisting attack from pathogens

So, how do humans prevent infections?

Firstly, we have physical barriers, like our skin and
respiratory system.
Secondly we have chemical barriers like the Hydrochloric
acid in the stomach, or the enzyme lysozyme in our tears.

Skin: physical barrier

that prevents pathogens
from entering. Glands in
the skin act as a
chemical barrier
secreting sebum (oily
substance that can kill
bacteria and fungi).
Tears: contain
lysozyme - an
enzyme that
kills bacteria.
Some White blood cells bind to the surface of
pathogens and destroy them. Others produce
antibodies (proteins), which also bind to pathogens
and help prevent disease.

Respiratory system: the lungs contain mucous which

traps bacteria and other microbes and particles. These
are swept away by hair like structures called cilia.

Father of
microbiology
Louis Pasteur
Until the 19th
century it was
thought that
disease
appeared from
nowhere
spontaneously,
from the air!

However, Louis Pasteur argued that germs

(pathogenic microorganisms) where present
in the air and where capable of causing
disease and decomposition. Louis Pasteur
carried out experiments to prove this
hypothesis

Pasteur attempted to answer the

question of why does food go bad?
With evidence from his experiments.

He put meat broth into

flasks with S shaped
curves. He them boiled
them to kill any
microbes. On cooling
the broth remained
microorganism free
because swan neck
design trapped them.
As a result Air
reaching the meat was
sterile.

When the curved neck was removed (or tilted)

microorganism were able to reach the meat broth and
turned it bad.

Pasteur is now most famous for inventing

pasteurisation heating beyond 70oC to kill harmful
microorganisms. Pasteurisation is used to treat raw
milk making it safe to drink.

Microbial Growth

Microbial Growth
Is The increase in the NUMBER of
microbial Cells!!
(NOT THEIR SIZE!)

If exponential growth continued,

amazingly massive numbers of
cells could arise.

e.g. A single bacterium dividing

every 20 minutes for only 25.5
hours can theoretically produce
a population equivalent in
weight to that of an 80,OOO Ton
Aircraft Carrier.

In reality, this does not

happen. Eventually, the
growth rate slows, the
number of microbial
deaths balances the
number of new cells, and
the population stabilizes.

Antiseptics prevent spread of infection by preventing microorganisms from

dividing (multiplying). We use them to swab
wounds and clean skin to prevent
infections.

Antibiotics

1929 Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin, 1st

antibiotic, from mold that
kills bacteria
Antibiotics work in few different
ways but bacteria can become
resistant to them why?

Antibiotic resistance is inevitable!!!

Scary thought. Bacteria reproduce
very quickly, so evolve very quickly!
Thats why super bugs are constantly in
the news! (MRSA). Methicillin resistant
Staphylococcus aureus

Mutation bacteria divide very quickly (approximately

every 20 minutes). So mutations arise in the population.
Some mutations may be useful e.g. resistance to
antibiotics! So for anyone who has an infection, some
bacteria could be resistant to the antibiotic used. Whilst
the non-resistant bacteria will be killed but the
resistant ones will survive and continue to divide. This
increases the resistant population further.

Antibiotics
1. They prevent the
formation of bacterial
cell walls, leaving them
liable to absorb water by
osmosis, swell and burst.
2. They interfere with DNA replication.
3. They interfere with protein
synthesis.

1. Taking antibiotics when we dont need them More bacteria are exposed to antibiotics, creating
a selection pressure for resistant individuals.
2.Dont take a full course of antibiotics
The strongest bacteria survive and can breed
without competition
3. Store leftover antibiotics for the next time we
feel ill
4. Using antibiotics as a preventative measure.
Common practice in agriculture. Animals kept in
crowded, high-density living conditions are more
susceptible to disease. Also animals tend to grow
faster, because they dont have to fight infections.

Investigate

After 24 hours in the incubator,

check for the presence of
This is done by antibiotic activity.
looking for a clear
area, called a zone
of
inhibition,
surrounding
each
disc.

To determine the
effectiveness of each
antibiotic, measure
the diameter, in
millimeters, of the
zone of inhibition and
record your results in
an appropriate
manner

What are Aseptic

Techniques?

Also Known as sterile technique.

Aseptic technique prevents contamination of
The work area / The environment by the culture
The worker
The culture

Temperature and pH investigation use of Resazurin

and Aseptic techniques.
Resazurin is a dye that indicated the presence of
oxygen. When there is lots of oxygen it turns blue
and when there isnt it becomes colourless.
Blue lilac Mauve pink colourless
Results
The effect of temperature on microorganism growth
in milk.
Incubate Sample A at 3oC
Incubate Sample A at 15oC
Incubate Sample A at 30oC

Time (hours)
Sample A
Sample B
Sample C

0
Blue
Blue
Blue

24
Blue
Lilac
Mauve

48
Blue
Mauve
Pink

72
Lilac
Pink
colourless