Causes and Spread of Infection

981 Words4 Pages
Causes and spread of infection Bacteria is a living thing that has only one single cell. It can survive inside and outside our bodies, in temperatures both above boiling and below freezing point. Many bacteria’s are harmless and essential to humans in terms of digesting food and helping to destroy cells that can cause disease. However some bacteria’s can make you ill, this is because they produce toxins that can damage tissues and surrounding cells. There are many ways bacteria can enter the body. Expired, contaminated or non pasteurised food items could be one way. Cuts, sores and open passages such as eyes, ears, genitals etc are also ways in which bacteria can enter the body. Some of the illness and infections attributed to bacteria include e.coli, streptococcus (strep throat, impetigo, cellulites), staphylococcal (skin infection, pneumonia, food and blood poisoning), cholera, mrsa, typhoid, uti’s, dysentery and tuberculosis. Bacterial infections are commonly treated with antibiotics. A virus is smaller and more difficult to kill than bacteria. It cannot be treated with antibiotics. A virus needs a living host to replicate and cannot do so outside of a host cell. A virus is a small piece of genetic material that has a protein coating to protect itself. A virus exists for the single purpose of reproducing. They invade and ‘hijack’ normal living cells and then multiply and produce viruses like themselves. The cells eventually die from this and this is what can make people ill. Many people get viruses from either swallowing or inhaling them, being bitten or sexual contact. Viruses can cause both minor and severe illness and infections. The more minor infections include the common cold, influenza, warts, herpes, sore throats and other respitory infections. The more severe illnesses include shingles, smallpox, hiv/aids and hemorrhagic fevers (ebola, Marburg,
Open Document