Pathogens Biotechnology

Pathogen

A microbe or agent that causes disease in a person or animal

Five kinds of pathogens

Bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi, prions

How pathogens are alike

All can cause infectious disease and make a person or animal sick

How pathogens are different

They have different structures, reproduce differently, spread differently, and are treated differently

How pathogens enter the body

Air, food, water, skin contact, blood, sexual contact

Zoonotic disease

An infectious disease that can spread from animals to humans

Examples of zoonotic diseases

Rabies, Brucellosis, Ebola

Where pathogens are found

Soil, water, air, surfaces, skin, body fluids

Infectious vs contagious

Infectious = pathogen enters the body; Contagious = disease can be spread to others

Three key steps to deal with infectious disease

Break the cycle of transmission, kill the infectious agent, increase host resistance

Purpose of vaccination

To increase immunity so the body can fight disease

Considerations for vaccination protocol

Age of animal, immune status, type of vaccine, time since last vaccination

Current research in infectious disease

New antibiotics to fight resistance, nanoparticles to deliver drugs, using bacteria to create new antibiotics, edible/plant-based vaccines

Examples of bacteria

Streptococcus equi (strangles), Bacillus anthracis (anthrax)

Examples of viruses

Rabies virus, canine adenovirus (hepatitis), papilloma virus (warts)

Examples of protozoa

Giardia lamblia (giardiasis), Toxoplasma gondii (toxoplasmosis)

Examples of fungi

Microsporum canis (ringworm)

Examples of prions

Misfolded proteins causing mad cow disease

Antibiotics work on

Bacteria

Antibiotics do NOT work on

Viruses

Disease control: break transmission

Isolation, hand washing, cleaning surfaces, limit exposure

Disease control: kill agent

Antibiotics, disinfectants

Disease control: increase resistance

Vaccination, nutrition, exercise, colostrum for newborns

Vaccination basics

Stimulates immunity, protects against disease before infection

Maternal antibodies

Immunity newborns get from first milk (colostrum)

Booster vaccines

Needed if maternal immunity fades or memory is short

Dissolvable vaccine patch

Painless delivery method using tiny needles that dissolve

Edible vaccines

Vaccines grown in plants, cheaper and easier to distribute