INFECTIONS

What is an Infection?

Terms

Although viruses and bacteria are both pathogens, they have quite the amount of biological differences. Virus are among the smallest of life forms and can multiple times smaller than bacteria. Viruses can only reproduce by invading a host. While bacteria can live in a variety of locations. Bacteria can also be killed off by antibiotics, but viruses cannot.

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A pathogen is any microorganisms that can cause disease. Susceptible refers to anything that can influenced or harmed by another thing. A host is a plant or animal on or in which a

parasite/microorganism lives. Disease is an irregularity or disorder in the function of the body that produces certain symptoms.

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Chain of Infection

The chain of infection starts with a "causative agent," which is any virus or bacteria that can cause a disease. That causative agent needs a place to exist, which is referred to as a reservoir. Then the agent needs a way to escape the reservoir, a "portal of exit." After escaping, it needs a mode of transmission, a way for the agent to to transmitted to a susceptible host. The host would then need to have a portal of entry for the agent. Allowing the agent to entry the host.

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Research and healthcare professionals help us by containing and preventing infections. They allow us to become vaccinated which removes our susceptibility to causative agents. Treatment & vaccines also remove the reservoirs for causative agents to live. Which altogether removes multiple factors from the chain of infection.

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Sources

"Microscopic revelations point to new blood infection therapies," drugtargetreview.com. 12/18/18. https://www.drugtargetreview.com/news/30946/microscopic-blood-infection-therapies/.