Words to understand
Reservoir - infectious agent normally lives and multiplies
Portal of exit - micro-organisms leave the host to enter another host and cause disease/infection
Mode of transmission - transmission of pathogens from a reservoir to a susceptible host
Portal of entry - micro-organisms enter the susceptible host and cause disease/infection
Bacteria - living organisms, usually one-celled, that can be found everywhere.
Virus- small infectious agent that replicates only inside the living cells of other organisms
Pathogen - A disease that is caused by bacteria, virus, or other microorganisms
Susceptible - likely to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing.
Host - organism that harbors another organism inside or near their body in a relationship where the two organisms live together
Disease - “A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that causes specific symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical injury”
INFECTION
VIRUS
can be found in almost any environment
20-400 nanometers
DNA or RNA within a capsid, some have an envelope membrane
Rely on host cell
BACTERIA
live almost anywhere including within other organisms
single cell replicates and divides into two identical cells
200-1000 nanometers
Organelles and DNA within a cell wall
CHAIN OF INFECTION
The chain of infection begins with a pathogen then finds a place to live. The pathogen needs to find a way of transmission either, directly or indirectly, and also a way of entry. A humans digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems are all portals of entry for a pathogen. As the pathogen enters the portal of entry it will attack the cells in your body and at the same time your body will fight back to restore homeostasis. Through the portal of exit the pathogen will continue to spread to a new host, some examples are, feces, mucous, saliva, urine, etc.
BREAKING THE CHAIN OF INFECTION
Learn what your child’s blood counts mean
Good oral care
Cleaning your hands is the most important thing
Avoid people who are ill, especially children with chickenpox or the flu
Stay away from large crowds of people until your child’s blood counts have recovered
Stay away from animals that are not pets
keep the area around them as clean as possible because dust and dirt contain fungus