Question

The pathogen can be a bacteria, fungus, protozoa, or virus. In addition to the article, information to include in the paper should include, morphology, gram stain characteristics, virulence factors, susceptibility to antibiotics, host cells, nutritional needs, growth conditions, mechanisms used to evade the immune system and invasion into the host(s), interactions with the hosts and diseases caused and affected body systems. Additionally, students should explain symptoms when the pathogen infects a host, as well as a diagnosis and the therapeutic intervention needed after infection. You may also add information on statistics related to infection (epidemiology) and any new research findings related to the pathogen. Writing Requirements (APA format) I chose Toxoplasmic as my pathogen

Answer 1

Toxoplasmic gondii is a protozoan. It is an obligate intra cellular parasitic one cellular eukaryote. It causes toxoplasmosis. This parasite can infect all warm blooded animals. it usually spread through poorly cooked food and feces of cats. it can also transmit from mother to infant during pregnancy. spreading through blood transfusion is rare. The only known host in which the parasite under go sexual reproduction is cat. How they infect immune system is not clear.

It belongs to:

Phylum: Apicomplexa

Class: Sporozoasida

Subclass: Coccidiasina

Order: Eimeriorina

Family: Toxoplasmatidae

STUCTUTRE

LIFE CYCLE

It undergo sexual reproduction in cats. It infect the epithelial cells of cat's intestine. Sexual reproduction takes place in epithelial cells. infected epithelial cells then ruptures and releases oocytes to the intestinal lumen. From there through feces it comes out. and spread through food water etc., then in intermediate hosts like humans they undergo asexual reproduction.

The infection has three stages

• acute toxoplasmosis

Usually no symptoms, however some symptoms like fever, head ace, muscle fatigue etc can occur. Swollen lymph nodes are the another symptom of this stage, swollen nymph nodes commonly found in neck or under chin.

• latent toxoplasmosis

after few weeks , flu like symptoms are shown by the infected persons. Tissue cysts are formed in lungs , heart, CNS etc. The cyst formed in brain upon the infection persist through out the life time of host.

• cutaneous toxoplasmosis

in rare cases lesions may occur on skin

The infected infants may become blind. And also the infection is associated with several neurological disorders.

there is no vaccination for gondii.

EPIDEMIOLOGY

The infection occurs throughout the world, but numbers varies with countries.For women of childbearing age, a survey of 99 studies within 44 countries found the areas of highest prevalence are within Latin America (about 50–80%), parts of Eastern and Central Europe (about 20–60%), the Middle East (about 30–50%), parts of Southeast Asia (about 20–60%), and parts of Africa (about 20–55%).

There are three major types of T. gondii responsible for the patterns of Toxoplasmosis throughout the world. There are types I, II, and III. These three types of T. gondii have differing effects on certain hosts, mainly mice and humans due to their variation in genotypes.

Type I: virulent in mice and humans, seen in people with AIDS.

Type II: non-virulent in mice, virulent in humans (mostly Europe and North America), seen in people with AIDS.

Type III: non-virulent in mice, virulent mainly in animals but seen to a lesser degree in humans as well.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

The infection can be prevented to a great extent by properly cooking the meat and disposing cat's feces properly.Pregnant women are also recommended not to clean cat litter boxes, or if they must to wear gloves and wash their hands afterwards.  spiramycin,  pyrimethamine or sulfadiazine and folinic acid may be used during pregnancy for treatment.. No vaccines are found.