Ch. 25 - Microbial Diseases of the Digestive System

Tortora - Microbiology: An Introduction 14th Edition

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Tortora 14th Edition

Ch. 25 - Microbial Diseases of the Digestive System

Problem 6

Chapter 25, Problem 6

A cholera epidemic in Peru had all of the following characteristics. Which one led to the others?
a. Eating raw fish
b. Sewage contamination of water
c. Catching fish in contaminated water
d. Vibrio in fish intestine
e. Including fish intestines with edibles

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the transmission cycle of Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium causing cholera. It typically spreads through ingestion of contaminated water or food.

Step 2: Identify the primary source of contamination in the options. Sewage contamination of water (option b) introduces Vibrio cholerae into the aquatic environment.

Step 3: Recognize that once water is contaminated, fish living in that water can ingest Vibrio, leading to Vibrio presence in fish intestines (option d).

Step 4: Eating raw fish (option a) or including fish intestines with edibles (option e) can then transmit the bacteria to humans, causing infection.

Step 5: Catching fish in contaminated water (option c) is a consequence of sewage contamination, linking the initial contamination to subsequent steps in the transmission chain.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Transmission Pathways of Waterborne Diseases

Waterborne diseases like cholera spread primarily through contaminated water sources. Understanding how pathogens enter and move through water systems is crucial, as contamination often leads to infection via ingestion or contact with polluted water or food.

Role of Sewage Contamination in Epidemics

Sewage contamination introduces harmful bacteria such as Vibrio cholerae into water supplies. This contamination is a primary source of cholera outbreaks, as it facilitates the pathogen's entry into the environment and subsequent transmission to humans.

Food Chain Contamination and Disease Spread

Pathogens can accumulate in aquatic organisms like fish when they inhabit contaminated waters. Consuming these organisms, especially if raw or improperly prepared, can transmit diseases to humans, linking environmental contamination to foodborne illness.

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Textbook Question

Microscopic examination of a patient’s fecal culture shows comma-shaped bacteria. These bacteria require 2-4% NaCl to grow. The bacteria probably belong to the genus

a. Campylobacter.

b. Escherichia.

c. Salmonella.

d. Shigella.

e. Vibrio.

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Textbook Question

Complete the following table:

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Textbook Question

Differentiate among the following factors of bacterial intoxication and bacterial infection: prerequisite conditions, causative agents, onset, duration of symptoms, and treatment.

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Textbook Question

Use the following choices to answer the following question:

a. Campylobacter

b. Cryptosporidium

c. Escherichia

d. Salmonella

e. Trichinella

Identification is based on the observation of oocysts in feces.

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Textbook Question

Define mycotoxin. Give an example of a mycotoxin.