UNIT10
IMMUNITY
10.1
Pathogens
1.What is a pathogen
A pathogen is a microorganism that causes disease.
2. Types of pathogens
a/Bacteria
- Characteristics of bacteria:
- Single-celled organism without a nucleus
(neither plants nor animals)
- Reproduce by splitting in two new identical cells.
- Found in diverse environments (in soil, air, water, inside
living organisms)
- Diseases associated with bacteria:
• Cholera
• Syphilis
• Tuberculosis
• Tetanus
• Pneumonia
• Salmonella
Types of pathogens
b/ Viruses
- Characteristics of viruses:
• Viruses are not plants, animals or
prokaryotes like bacteria.
• Viruses are even not organisms
because they are not free-living
(they cannot reproduce and carry
on metabolic processes without a
host cell.
- Diseases associated with viruses:
• Influenza
• Measles
• Rubella
• Chickenpox
• Herpes
• Hepatitis
• COVID-19
Types of pathogens
c/Fungi
- Characteristics of fungi:
• a group of living organisms which are
classified in their own kingdom.
They are not animals, plants, or bacteria.
• have complex eukaryotic cells like animals
and plants.
• found everywhere: on land, in the water,
in the air, and even in plants and animals.
• absorb food from organic matter
- Diseases associated with fungi:
- Asthma or allergies.
- Skin and nails diseases
- Lung infections (pneumonia)
- Mouth and throat infections
Types of pathogens
d/Protozoa
- Characteristics of protozoa:
• single-celled organisms
• most are parasites, which means
they live on and feed off of plants and
animals (including humans) to survive.
- Diseases associated with protozoa:
- Malaria
- Toxoplasmosis
- Amoebic dysentery
3. Important terms
The passing of a pathogen to an uninfected person is called transmission.
The entry of the pathogen into the body is known as infection.
A person infected by a pathogen is said to be a host for that pathogen.
Diseases caused by pathogens and passing from a person to a person are
called transmissible diseases (sometimes known as contagious
diseases)
4.Transmission of pathogens
Pathogens can be transmitted directly or indirectly.
Direct transmission – pathogens are passed from one person to another
in direct contact (without an intermediary).
- By blood (AIDS)
- By sharing personal accessories (skin infections)
Indirect transmission
- Through the respiratory passages by sneezing or coughing (flu)
- By food or water (salmonella, cholera)
- By vectors ( dogs and foxes for rabies, mosquitoes for malaria)
