Chapter 25, Problem 1R

Complete the following table:

Summary Introduction

To review:

The causative agent, method of transmission, symptoms, and treatment of pathogenic diseases, such as aflatoxin poisoning, cryptosporidiosis, pinworms, and whipworms.

Introduction:

Microorganisms that have the ability to cause infectious diseases are called as pathogens. Such microorganisms include bacteria, fungi, virus, and protozoa. Illness in an individual is caused either by disturbing the normal metabolic activity of the host or by inducing the host’s immune system to produce a response. Infectious agents are transmitted by direct contact (person-to-person) or indirect contact (water-borne, food-borne, air-borne, soil-borne, fomite-borne, vector-borne, and zoonosis). Infectious diseases are responsible for the high frequency of human morbidity and mortality world-wide.

Explanation of Solution

Disease	Causative Agent	Method of Transmission	Symptoms	Treatment
Aflatoxin poisoning	Aspergillus flavus	Food-borne: ingestion of toxin (peanuts, cereals, dried fruit)	Acute necrosis of liver, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, abdominal pain,  nausea, vomiting	None
Cryptosporidiosis	Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium hominis	Water-borne: ingestion of oocysts	nausea, fever, abdominal pain watery diarrhea, prolonged diarrhea (immunosuppressed patients)	Oral rehydration, antiparasitic drug (Nitazoxanide)
Pinworms	Enterobius vermicularis	Fecal-oral route: ingestion of pinworm eggs, fomite-borne: bedding, clothing	Local itching (anus)	Antihelminthic drugs (pyrantel pamoate, mebendazole)
Whipworms	Trichuris trichiura	Soil-borne: ingestion of eggs	Diarrhea, abdominal pain	Antihelminthic drugs (mebendazole, albendazole)

Conclusion

The causative agent, method of transmission, symptoms, and treatment of pathogenic diseases, such as aflatoxin poisoning, cryptosporidiosis, pinworms, and whipworms is tabulated.