L20: pathogens shaping history

what disease(s) does Yersinia pestis cause

bubonic plague + pneumonic plague

what are symptoms of the bubonic plague

buboes (swollen lymph nodes)

what is the mortality of the bubonic plague

~50%

what is the mortality of the pneumonic plague

~90-100%

how treatable is the pneumonic plague

treatable within 24 hours

what is the reservoir of Yersinia pestis

rodent fleas on rodents + prairie dogs

pneumonic through human respiratory aerosol

name a zoonotic pathogen

Yersinia pestis: effects rodents + wild dogs

what is an epizootic

animal equivalent of an epidemic

what organisms do pathogens cause disease to

any organism (none known infecting viruses)

what disease does Phytophthora infestans cause

late blight or ‘potato blight’

what is the virulence of late blight

approaching 100%

what is the treatment of Phytophthora infestans

fungicides with limited use + copper sulphate

what makes populations more sensitive to pathogens

reduction of host genetic diversity

how are pathogens connected to their hosts geographically

share similar geographic distribution + usually coevolve with them

what virus does influenza virus cause

influenza ‘flu’

what is the morality of influenza

0.01-50% with newer strains having higher case fatality rates

how are the influenza strains named

HxNx

how are new influenzas virus particles created

reassortment of genetic material

(e.g. bird + human viruses combining in swine cells)

what are pathogens historically responsible for

economic, social, + scientific changes

what pathogen causes bubonic + pneumonic plague

Yersinia pestis

what pathogen causes late blight

Phytophthora infestans

what pathogen causes influenza ‘flu’

Influenza virus