3) Bacterial Diseases and Preventing Diseases

Bacterial Diseases

  1. Salmonella:

    • Causes food poisoning with symptoms such as fever, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.

    • Symptoms are due to toxins produced by the bacteria.

    • Spread through contaminated food, such as undercooked or unhygienically prepared poultry.

    • In the UK, poultry are often vaccinated to reduce the spread.

  2. Gonorrhoea:

    • Sexually transmitted disease (STD), spread by unprotected sexual contact.

    • Symptoms include pain when urinating and thick yellow or green discharge from the genitals.

    • Originally treated with penicillin, but some bacterial strains are now resistant.

    • Preventable through antibiotics and using barrier contraception, such as condoms.

Preventing Disease Spread

  1. Hygiene:

    • Simple measures like hand washing before handling food or after sneezing can prevent transmission.

  2. Destroying Vectors:

    • Reducing or eliminating disease-carrying organisms (e.g., mosquitoes) through insecticides or habitat destruction.

  3. Isolation:

    • Separating infected individuals to prevent them from spreading the disease to others.

  4. Vaccination:

    • Immunising people and animals reduces the chance of infection and limits further transmission.