Essays on Pathogens

Is Hand washing more effective in Infection Reduction versus Gel Hand Sanitizers?

Is Hand washing more effective in Infection Reduction versus Gel Hand Sanitizers?

Introduction

Today, the burden of health care-associated infections (HCAIs) are drawing attention not only from governments and health care regulatory bodies but also from patients and more so from health care practitioners (HCPs) themselves. This phenomenon is not merely because of the magnitude of the problem regarding the associated incidences of mortality, cost, and complexity of treatment, and morbidity, but also due to the growing recognition and understanding that, most of these complications are preventable. The medical fraternity is thus witnessing in tandem unprecedented improvements in the spread ...

6 Responses

1: What are 3 factors that help microbes spread? (3 bonanza for microbes)

Response: The three factors or bonanzas, as the author describes that has been responsible for the increase in the spread of bacteria are: the rise of farming and cities as well as the development of world trade routes (Diamond 205).

Response: In the four stages of evolution between a specialized human disease from an animal precursor, the first are the diseases that we pick up from pets and domesticated animals but also those in the wild. Scratch-fever from cats, brucellosis from cattle and tularemia from rabbits are examples of the diseases we get in this stage (Diamond ...

Introduction

Climate change is a major environmental problem, causing concern to various corners of our ecosystem. It is a result of global warming, environmental pollution and inefficient use of our natural resources. Climate change has affected almost all living organisms, including plants, animals, microorganisms and undoubtedly, man. It poses a serious threat to our ecosystem and is listed as a major concern in the Grand Challenges of the U.N. for Millennium Development and Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (Garrett 490). A wide variety of its implications, have made climate change, an important topic for researchers. There has been more awareness among researchers ...

Abstract

In the last century, the knowledge of molecular biology has increased, opening new opportunities for addressing different diseases that have been affecting all populations. Before, genome and proteomic studies were seen as complicated field due to inability to get significance understanding of disease components at the molecular level. However, with the expansion of molecular biology, different techniques and tools have been developed to aid diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In this study, these tools have been investigated to understand how the knowledge on molecular diagnosis helps in detection and treatment of diseases. This study focused on the application of ...

2017-01-02

Abstract The issue of such parasitic disease as toxoplasmosis is presented in this paper. This disease is caused by the pathogen Toxoplasma gondii. The cases of toxoplasmosis are more prevalent in African countries and countries of Latin and South America. The toxoplasmosis usually has final and intermediary owners: domestic animals (primarily cats) are the intermediary owners and they can infect human. There are different forms of the toxoplasmosis. The adult organism with the strong immune system may not even notice that he is sick. At the same time, the common symptoms of the toxoplasmosis are similar to the acute ...

Abstract

The immune and nervous systems are two body structures that have different functions. Moreover, most people may not be able to readily identify the and the relationship between these two. While the immune system is responsible in protecting the body from destructive and invading pathogens, the nervous system is tasked to relay information to the brain. This process allows for the proper coordination of the different functions of the body. In general, the concept of the connection between the nervous and the immune systems stems from the theoretical idea of stress. Stress is denoted both as a physiological and ...

The paper differentiates endocarditis from meningitis. Besides, it offers a description of transmission, signs, symptoms, at risk groups, treatments, as well as prognosis of these two diseases. Endocarditis denotes a disease of the heart’s valves or chambers inner lining (Chan, & Embil, 2006). On the contrary, meningitis denotes meninges’ inflammation (Shmaefsky & Babcock, 2010). Meninges is a collective term for pia mater, dura mater, as well as arachnoid mater, which are membranes covering the brain as well as spinal cord (Shmaefsky & Babcock, 2010).

Transmission of Endocarditis and Meningitis

Endocarditis results when fungi, bacteria, or other pathogens invade the bloodstream and infect abnormal regions of the ...

Auto repair industry is probably the most accident prone industry throughout the world and is an issue of major concern for the ILO, employees, government authorities and employers. Not only does health and safety related accidents and diseases have traumatic effects on the auto repair workers, they require owners to pay huge compensation and medical bills to the victim and penalties for OSH violations. The major health and safety hazards comprise of accidents or deaths caused by getting crushed under inadequately supported vehicles, toxic emissions from exhausts, asbestos fumes, cuts and bruises from tools, burns, eyesight damage, stress and ...

Immune System

(Author, Department, University,

Immune System

Introduction

The human immune system is a complex system consisting of a network of numerous cells and cell types, tissues, and organs working together to defend the human body from foreign bodies such as invading microorganisms, infections, and tumors, while ignoring the normal working and healthy parts of the body.

Discussion

Working of the immune system The immune system has different ways of identifying problems, communicating with other cells, and performing their activities. The immune system has the ability to distinguish healthy cells from unhealthy cells as it can recognize a number of different “danger” cues ...

Abstract

After the 9/11 event agro-terrorism has continually been recognized as a national security threat. It aims at depriving citizens off the confidence they have in the government. The act also endangers human life as the contaminated food is unhealthy. Agriculture has much vulnerability and although it does not have the shocking factors as other terrorist strategies it may be used as a secondary target. The US not having been a victim of a large-scale, successful agro-terrorism attack is not a guarantee that the nation’s agricultural and food processing systems are secure. Many policies have been implemented and initiatives ...

The adaptive immune system is the subsystem of an entire immune system. Characteristically, the adaptive immune system is comprised highly systematic and specialized cells and processes whose main purposes are to eliminate or inhibit the growth of pathogens within specific hosts. The adaptive immune system is infamous for its ability to place the body in better states to fight similar pathogens in subsequent infections. Nonetheless, both the cell-meditated and humoral immunity of the adaptive immune systems lacks the desirable ability to distinguish between harmful and harmless invading pathogens.

Primary Cell Type

Lymphocytes are the primary cell type in the composition of the ...

Question 1

It is evident that particulate matter is becoming increasingly concentrated in Asia as reported by WHO. Power plants, dust storms, fossil fuels burning in vehicles as well as various industrial facilities result in highly significant amounts of particulates in the Asian continent. People in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal are prone to and in most cases suffer from aggravating respiratory and heart diseases such as emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma. Bronchitis, characterized by coughing up of dry mucus which is sometimes colored, is an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes that carry air to the ...

Food is a basic commodity needed to sustain life and as such, it must be safe to eat. Despite the innumerable controversies that abound regarding the ingredients and additives in our food and sage advice from many professional sources and health gurus arguing to the contrary, this paper will support the thesis that, for most people, our food supply is safe. While accepting that prepared foods may contain additives and preservatives, these are necessary to allow manufacturers to bring food safely into our homes. Preservatives and additives are necessary to ensure that our food supply is safe, but ultimately ...

The purpose of this paper is to review the etiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, inheritance patterns, and recent advances in disease management of cystic fibrosis. Cystic fibrosis is a progressive and lethal disease resulting from an autosomal recessive gene (Singh, Rebordosa, Bernholz, & Sharma, 2015). The major problem associated with cystic fibrosis is the repeated lung infections that over time severely damage the lungs, scar and widen the passageways and limit the ability to breathe (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, n.d.). As of 2013, there are an estimated 70,000 cystic fibrosis patients globally with 33,000 of them in the United States ( ...

Ventilator-associated pneumonia

Abstract The intensive care unit in most hospitals plays the role of providing care to patients dealing with life-threatening conditions. The technological and other set ups in these hospital units are vital in ensuring that these patients continue to receive the best regarding care while with the intentions of having them emerge with desirable outcomes. There are however challenges relating to the care that these patients receive since, in most cases, they are usually under mechanical ventilation. A patient under this condition faces the risk of developing ventilator-associated pneumonia if the ventilators are not handled with the required care. ...

Part A:

Choose a manual handling task common to community services work, and based upon this, complete a risk assessment using the same questions as in the example. 1b. Briefly explain why you should record hazard identification according to workplace procedures. (Matrix Source: Govt. South Australia, Department of Education and Children's Services, Health and Safety Services.) 2b. Explain why you chose that category. (20-50 words) 3. Describe the negative impact upon the muscles of the body for the pictures with poor posture. (50-100 words) 4. Identify how the way we move our bodies when performing a manual handling task can reduce ...

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Introduction

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a very influential technique that helps in amplifying the specific segments of DNA. This biochemical procedure is performed in-vitro that is quite different from cloning. This technique is a fusion of synthesis protocol of distinct repeated segments of DNA and thermostable DNA polymerase application that has given scientists a very potent analytical, immunological and molecular technique used prevalently in clinical laboratory science (Garibyan & Avashia, 2013). PCR is based on three primary steps that include denaturation of the template into single strands, annealing ...

The climate of Canada is governed by a number of elements of climate which lead to a regional variety of weather patterns in the country. These weather patterns are pertinent in determining the type of climate which each particular region experiences. Climate has many impacts on a country’s ecosystem, sociology and economy, and is therefore a key component in the overall health of any economy. Disruptions to climate can have enduring outcomes for Canada and its people. This paper attempts to discuss the current climactic patterns which occur in Canada, and outlines some ways in which climate change ...

Where are apical and lateral meristems found and how are they arranged in the root and stem? What role or function does the meristem tissue play in plants? Apical meristems are found at the tips of growing roots and shoots and form the tissue from which the main plant stem arises. Apical meristems are small compared to lateral meristems and are responsible for the primary growth of stems and roots, subsequently increasing the length and height of the plant. They are dome shaped and have a layered structure known as tunica and corpus. The tunica is made up of ...

Communication

Speech Outline

Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience to accept the fact that vaccination is the only solution to ward off the upcoming generations from deadly diseases. I INTRODUCTION (Attention)

Attention Material

The pros and cons of vaccination is a topic for heated discussion even among healthcare professionals. Even doctors have contradictory opinions about vaccination.

Thesis and Preview

1. Thesis Statement - In my opinion, vaccination has helped humankind to protect itself from many deadly diseases. 2. Even those who oppose vaccination cannot ignore the fact that deadly diseases like polio and smallpox were controlled due to vaccination. [Beginning of the Body Speech] I ...

Risk management in nursing is an important aspect of healthcare provision. Risk management in the profession identifies ways in which a patient or caretaker can be harmed by risks associated with being in a health facility. Risks in these establishments are influenced both internally and externally. Anything in such a facility has the means to causes risks to both patients and nurses and also, other healthcare providers. The most risks that result in accidents in hospitals include manual lifting, carrying or pulling of items, Intravenous Needles and lines, the spread of pathogens among others. The changing model of healthcare ...

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is used to protect the user against health and safety risks in the workplace. There are various types of PPE, and they include high-visibility clothing, safety helmets, face masks, respiratory protective equipment (RPE), gloves, protective suit, eye protection, ear protection, and safety footwear (OSHA, HSE). The following is a discussion about five types of PPE and their limitations.

Gloves are worn to protect the hand from extreme heat or cold. It is also worn to protect the hand from rough or sharp objects or surfaces. Gloves also protect the hand from being contaminated with harmful ...

The study of infectious diseases has always been crucial to mankind because of the devastating effects it has had on the human race. The influenza epidemic, for example, occurred repeatedly in the 20 th and 21st century, spreading across large regions and multiple continents. Influenza in 1918 killed an estimated 50 million people world wide. This was higher than the amount of people that died in World War I. About 500,000 fatalities occurred in the US which was approximately 28% of the US population at that time. The number of deaths that took place in 1957 and 1968 ...

Chapter #16:

Question 1. Insect-eating birds will decrease in number since their source of food has been reduced. The birds may also migrate to warmer areas during this period.

Question 2.

The habitat is the specific place where the organism lives e.g. a fish’s habitat is water. On the other hand, niche is the position and the role played by the organism in an ecosystem. It includes how the organism obtain food and shelter, the mode of survival, and the mode of reproduction (Sutton & Anderson, 2009, p. 46). For instance, a lion’s niche in the ecosystem is that of a predator.Question ...

Vaccination is the process by which the immunity of an individual is stimulated to develop protection against pathogens by the use of antigens called vaccines. Vaccination has been in use for a long period and has seen prevention and reduction of communicable and infectious diseases. The use of vaccines to prevent diseases was commonly used in children aged between 0 and 6 years; however, after scientific developments and discoveries it gained traction among adults (Habakus & Holland 2011). To protect the weak, elderly and the immune compromised individuals versus an individual’s right to say no to a vaccine is ...

Introduction

Recently, worldwide obesity prevalence has been raised rapidly and nearly doubled between 1980 and 2014, however in 2014 more than a half a billion of adult (18 years and older) were obese (11% men and 15% women) (WHO, 2014). Obesity and overweight are defined as excess body fat accumulation that leads to health risks and comorbidities. Adult weight can be classified based on the Body Mass Index. Hence, an individual having a BMI equal to or more than 25 is regarded as being overweight, while a person with a BMI equal to or more than 30 is considered obese ( ...

Introduction

Sushi rice, in broad terms, is a variety of short-grain, white rice seasoned with a mixture of vinegar, sugar and salt (Knipple, Knipple and Edge 2012). The sushi rice, upon preparation, can be served with raw ready-to-eat accompaniments such as seafood and seaweeds. Notably, the sushi meal preparation goes through a lot of handling, and its accompaniments could be eaten raw. As such, the meal needs cautious handling during preparation, storage and display to assure food safety. Additionally, it requires specified conditions such as pH level and temperature to prevent the growth of bacterial and survival of pathogens that ...

The term “Silk Road” was used to refer to the long route used by merchants to trade exotic goods and glittering bazaars. The merchants used camel caravans to trade across Asia. In the book by James Millward, he outlined the historical background of the Silk Road, when it flourished and its contribution to cultural exchange in the world, particularly in the Eurasian region. The author argued that the Silk Road facilitated the culture of communication across the Eurasian continent. He has further listed some of the goods that were exchanged during this period and their importance. Millward explains some ...

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates all employers to provide a safe, healthy and accident free workplace. The objective of OSHA is to ensure healthy workplaces by setting up standards for employers, which they accomplish by training the employers, education and assistance. The mission of the OSHA is to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect the health of America’s workers, and as a part of the Department of Labor, OSHA promotes worker safety and health in every workplace in the United States . OSHA requires employers to act in accordance with the General Duty Clause of the ...

Healthcare Case Studies

Q1:Answer1: The student must examine the living conditions of the patients as a priority. The vital stats of patient, as well as subjective and objective data of the patient, are necessary to analyze during the process. Depending on the condition of the heart patient he or she should be referred to the health care units or provided any home-based assist. For a heart patient, it is essential to observe the core measures including discharge statement, LVS (left Ventricular Systolic) evaluation, medication (angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blocker, (ARB)). Four core processes of patient care include analyzing ...

The unpredictable changes in climate have a considerable impact on the health of the global population. People need to adjust to the changing weather conditions, and the inability to cope may lead to the development of weather related illnesses and even death. This paper aims to discuss the health concerns that arise due to global climate change, as well as the factors that contributed to the difference in the impact of climate change in the US, UK and China. I. Health Concerns Related to Climate Change a. Expansion of Microbial Pathogens One of the health concerns brought by climate ...

The article “The microbial environment and its influence on asthma prevention in early life” by Erika von Mutius presents and develops the current perspective that contextual factors are key in the development, or inhibition, of this respiratory affection. A microbiome with great diversity leads to a better immune system maturation, counterbalancing the different occasions for the development of this condition. Having a rich mibrobiome may also lead to less allergy-related problems, as both of these respiratory diseases may be fought off against better when there is a diversity of microbes and pathogens in the air, leading to better skin, ...

Virulence and Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention

InstitutionVirulence and Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention of Opportunistic Bacterial Infections We live in a day that was much like 100 years ago, before antibiotics existed at all. The reason for this is that almost as soon as a new antibiotic is introduced, bacteria develop resistance to it. In 2008, a type of bacteria was found in China that has 45 specific genes meant solely to confer resistance to antibiotics just in its plasmid. Plasmid is a cellular material generated by bacterial colonies that are hard to penetrate with antibiotics, even without resistance genes (Lutz, 2016). As the search for ...

Abstract

Food safety remains a serious issue in public health. Foodborne disease is the main threat to public health. It occurs when food gets contaminated with pathogens and is then ingested into the body. Food contamination occurs when there is a flaw in the food handling process that allows food to get into contact with the pathogens. Many efforts have been made to deal with food contamination. However, the food industry still faces many challenges some of which are emerging challenges. The dairy sectors are one of the sectors in the food industries facing numerous challenges. Nevertheless, it is one ...

Upper respiratory disease is a term that encompasses acute infections ranging from the benign common cold to life-threatening conditions (e.g., epiglottitis). Cases of upper respiratory disease are easy to recognize because the patients will complain about the following symptoms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2016):

Runny nose (always)

Sore throat (always) Coughing (common, usually in cases of viral etiology) Sneezing (common, usually in cases of viral etiology) Other symptoms depend on the patient’s age, medical history, and the pathogen causing the infection, so it is important to conduct a thorough assessment which consists of the following steps:

Interview the patient.

Perform ...

strains?” Researches on viruses have been carried out since time immemorial. Several vaccines, therapeutics, and targeted drug delivery systems have been developed only through extensive research on virulent strains. However, genetic engineering and molecular biology techniques have enabled scientists to manipulate, and develop new recombinant strains that may not occur in nature spontaneously. Proper containment of these engineered strains is essential as they might have properties that are entirely different from their parent strains. In September 2011 a researcher from Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam revealed how he had engineered avian influenza strain H5N1, and made it “more receptive to ...

Introduction

Approximately 2.5 million individuals in the United States contract pneumonia annually, and 55,000 of those individuals die as a result. In fact, pneumonia was the eighth prominent cause of morbidity and is the number one communicable disease in the United States. Pneumonia is the leading deadly hospital-contracted disease and contributes to a sizable amount of deaths in unindustrialized countries as well. It is a grave illness that can impact individuals in all age groups, but it is especially serious in adolescents, the elderly population, and in people with fundamental medical issues such as ischemia, low blood sugar, and ...