Pathogenic disease is a result of a pathogen or infectious agent, which is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its host.
A pathogen is an agent that disrupts the normal physiology of a multicellular animal or plant. A pathogen can also infect unicellular organisms from all of the biological kingdoms.
Pathogens have different ways of invading a host, but soil contamination has the longest or most persistent pontential for keeping a pathogen.
Our bodies have many natural defenses against some of the common pathogens, in the form of an immune system and also some 'helpful' bacteria that resides in our body's normal flora. But if our immune system or 'helpful' bacteria is damaged in any way (such as HIV, antibiotics being taken to kill other pathogens or chemotherapy, then pathogenic bacteria being held at bay will proliferate and cause harm to the host. Cases like these are known as 'opportunistic infections'.
There are some pathogens, like the bacterium 'Yersinia pestis' , which could have caused the Black Plague, which have been found to have caused large amounts of casualties.
Nowadays, many medical advances have been made to protect against infection by pathogens, through the use of vaccination, antibiotics and fungicide. Despite this, pathogens still continue to threaten human life.
Notable bacterial pathogens and their known affects include:
Salmonella - typical effects include food poisoning.
Streptococcus - pneumonia.
Helobacter pylori - stomanch ulcers.
Hepatitus A, B, C, D and E - liver disease.
Influenza virus - flu.
Notable viral pathogens include:
Molluscum contagiosum - rash.
Human immunodeficiency virus - aids.
Notable fungal pathogens include:
Tinea - ringworm.
Roundworm.
Scabies.
One of the main causes of food or water becoming infected is the release of sewage into a drinking water supply or onto cropland, with the result of people who eat or drink contaminated surces becoming infected.
Pathogenic infection can occur by contact with foliage, and from root uptake of soil pathogens, in the case of terrestrial vascular plants.
A pathogen is an agent that disrupts the normal physiology of a multicellular animal or plant. A pathogen can also infect unicellular organisms from all of the biological kingdoms.
Pathogens have different ways of invading a host, but soil contamination has the longest or most persistent pontential for keeping a pathogen.
Our bodies have many natural defenses against some of the common pathogens, in the form of an immune system and also some 'helpful' bacteria that resides in our body's normal flora. But if our immune system or 'helpful' bacteria is damaged in any way (such as HIV, antibiotics being taken to kill other pathogens or chemotherapy, then pathogenic bacteria being held at bay will proliferate and cause harm to the host. Cases like these are known as 'opportunistic infections'.
There are some pathogens, like the bacterium 'Yersinia pestis' , which could have caused the Black Plague, which have been found to have caused large amounts of casualties.
Nowadays, many medical advances have been made to protect against infection by pathogens, through the use of vaccination, antibiotics and fungicide. Despite this, pathogens still continue to threaten human life.
Notable bacterial pathogens and their known affects include:
Salmonella - typical effects include food poisoning.
Streptococcus - pneumonia.
Helobacter pylori - stomanch ulcers.
Hepatitus A, B, C, D and E - liver disease.
Influenza virus - flu.
Notable viral pathogens include:
Molluscum contagiosum - rash.
Human immunodeficiency virus - aids.
Notable fungal pathogens include:
Tinea - ringworm.
Roundworm.
Scabies.
One of the main causes of food or water becoming infected is the release of sewage into a drinking water supply or onto cropland, with the result of people who eat or drink contaminated surces becoming infected.
Pathogenic infection can occur by contact with foliage, and from root uptake of soil pathogens, in the case of terrestrial vascular plants.
