Prescott's Microbiology
Prescott's Microbiology
11th Edition
ISBN: 9781260211887
Author: WILLEY, Sandman, Wood
Publisher: McGraw Hill
bartleby

Concept explainers

Question
Book Icon
Chapter 40.6, Problem 3CC
Summary Introduction

An opportunistic organism is one that is generally harmless in its normal environment but can become pathogenic in a compromised host. It becomes pathogenic when (1) introduced to a new environment, (2) outcompetes the other resident microbes, or (3) the host becomes (immuno-) compromised. A compromised host is seriously debilitated and has lowered resistance to infection. There are many causes of this condition: malnutrition, alcoholism, cancer, diabetes, another infectious disease (e.g., HIV/AIDS), trauma from surgery or injury, an altered microbiota from prolonged use of antibiotics (e.g., in vaginal candidiasis), and immunosuppression (e.g., by drugs, hormones, genetic deficiencies, cancer chemotherapy, and old age). Opportunistic mycoses may start as normal microbiota or ubiquitous environmental contaminants. An emerging opportunistic fungal disease, especially of the immunocompromised, is caused by the group of unique microbes known as the microsporidia. They live as a spore form and have a unique organelle used for infecting new host cells.

Blurred answer
Students have asked these similar questions
Please write a 500-word report about the intake of saturated fat, sodium, alcoholic beverages, or added sugar in America. Choose ONE of these and write about what is recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (guideline #4) and why Americans exceed the intake of that nutrient. Explain what we could do as a society and/or individuals to reduce our intake of your chosen nutrient.
Write a 500-word report indicating how you can change the quantity or quality of TWO nutrients where your intake was LOWER than what is recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and/or the DRIs. Indicate how the lack of the nutrient may affect your health. For full credit, all of the following points must be addressed and elaborated on in more detail for each nutrient: The name of the nutrient At least 2 main functions of the nutrient (example: “Vitamin D regulates calcium levels in the blood and calcification of bones.”) Your percent intake compared to the RDA/DRI (example “I consumed 50% of the RDA for vitamin D”) Indicate why your intake was below the recommendations (example: “I only had one serving of dairy products and that was why I was below the recommendations for vitamin D”) How would you change your dietary pattern to meet the recommendations? – be sure to list specific foods (example: “I would add a yogurt and a glass of milk to each day in order to increase my…
Why are nutrient absorption and dosage levels important when taking multivitamins and vitamin and mineral supplements?
Knowledge Booster
Background pattern image
Biology
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, biology and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.
Similar questions
SEE MORE QUESTIONS
Recommended textbooks for you
Text book image
Concepts of Biology
Biology
ISBN:9781938168116
Author:Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James Wise
Publisher:OpenStax College
Text book image
Basic Clinical Laboratory Techniques 6E
Biology
ISBN:9781133893943
Author:ESTRIDGE
Publisher:Cengage
Text book image
Curren'S Math For Meds: Dosages & Sol
Nursing
ISBN:9781305143531
Author:CURREN
Publisher:Cengage
Text book image
Biology Today and Tomorrow without Physiology (Mi...
Biology
ISBN:9781305117396
Author:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Text book image
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...
Biology
ISBN:9781305073951
Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Text book image
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...
Biology
ISBN:9781337408332
Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr
Publisher:Cengage Learning