Biology- Cholera assignment
CHOLERA
Causes: (reference 10)
Cholera is a small intestinal infection caused by the digestion of the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae (a comma-shaped bacillus that varies in size from 1-3 µm in length by 0.5-0.8 µm in diameter), present in food or water (raw shellfish, uncooked fruits and vegetables, and other foods). The disease is most common in places with poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine.
Transmission: (reference 1)
When humans ingest cholera bacteria, they may not become sick themselves, but they still pass the bacteria in other ways such as contaminating food or water supplies, which can serve as ideal breeding grounds for the cholera bacteria.
Cholera usually isn't transmitted through casual person-to-person contact as more than a million cholera bacteria (one glass of contaminated water) are needed to cause illness. The main types of transmission are:
Cholera bacteria can lie dormant in water for long periods of time, and contaminated public wells are common sources of the large scale cholera outbreaks. People living in crowded conditions without adequate sanitation are more at risk.
Eating raw or undercooked seafood can expose you to cholera bacteria. In regions where cholera is widespread, grains such as rice are contaminated after cooking and left in room temperature for several hours becomes a medium for the growth of the cholera bacteria.
Raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables are a frequent source of cholera infection in areas where cholera is common. In developing nations (such as Bangladesh), manure fertilizers or irrigation water containing raw sewage can contaminate produce in the field.
Host Response: (reference 1 & 12 & 14)
If the V. Cholerae bacteria is successful in passing through the body’s first defence barrier (in this case the acidic environment in the stomach or alkaline environment in the small intestine), then it goes through the second defence barrier inside the body where phagocytes (white blood cells) which can
Causes: (reference 10)
Cholera is a small intestinal infection caused by the digestion of the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae (a comma-shaped bacillus that varies in size from 1-3 µm in length by 0.5-0.8 µm in diameter), present in food or water (raw shellfish, uncooked fruits and vegetables, and other foods). The disease is most common in places with poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine.
Transmission: (reference 1)
When humans ingest cholera bacteria, they may not become sick themselves, but they still pass the bacteria in other ways such as contaminating food or water supplies, which can serve as ideal breeding grounds for the cholera bacteria.
Cholera usually isn't transmitted through casual person-to-person contact as more than a million cholera bacteria (one glass of contaminated water) are needed to cause illness. The main types of transmission are:
Cholera bacteria can lie dormant in water for long periods of time, and contaminated public wells are common sources of the large scale cholera outbreaks. People living in crowded conditions without adequate sanitation are more at risk.
Eating raw or undercooked seafood can expose you to cholera bacteria. In regions where cholera is widespread, grains such as rice are contaminated after cooking and left in room temperature for several hours becomes a medium for the growth of the cholera bacteria.
Raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables are a frequent source of cholera infection in areas where cholera is common. In developing nations (such as Bangladesh), manure fertilizers or irrigation water containing raw sewage can contaminate produce in the field.
Host Response: (reference 1 & 12 & 14)
If the V. Cholerae bacteria is successful in passing through the body’s first defence barrier (in this case the acidic environment in the stomach or alkaline environment in the small intestine), then it goes through the second defence barrier inside the body where phagocytes (white blood cells) which can