U3L2 Presentations

Page 164 •What to do questions•What Did You Find Out questions 1 and 3

Possible Biological Weapons

Anthrax — bacteria; transmitted through skin, inhalation, and gastrointestinal tract; highly lethal when inhaled. It does not spread from person to person. An anthrax vaccine does exist, but is not readily available. Antibiotics are used to treat anthrax.Smallpox — virus; highly contagious; spread by air and direct contact; high mortality rate. Smallpox has killed more people over time than any other infectious disease, including the plague.Cholera — bacteria; transmitted through water and food. Treatment involves replacing fluids and salt lost through diarrhea and vomiting.Plague — bacteria; highly contagious; transmitted by fleas; high mortality rate. It causes a type of pneumonia and can be fatal if not caught early. Antimicrobials are used to treat the disease.Botulism — one of the deadliest toxins caused by bacteria; can be inhaled or ingested. Severe botulism causes respiratory failure and paralysis. Antitoxins and assisted ventilation are used to treat the disease.Ebola — virus causes hemorrhagic fever; extremely lethal; spread through direct contact with blood and body fluids; symptoms are profuse bleeding from body openings. There is no cure or treatment.Meningitis —bacteria; spread through direct contact. Bacterial meningitis is serious and requires urgent treatment with antibiotics to prevent permanent damage or death. There is a vaccine for the most common form of bacterial meningitis (Hib).

How Communicable Diseases Spread

• Airborne

• Water-borne

• Carried in Food

• Direct Contact

• Contact with a carrier

• Contact through a wound.

How Non-communicable Diseases Spread

• Environment

• Diet

• Lifestyle

• Genetic

Scenario 1

A pregnant woman unknowingly passes the virus to her unborn child after contracting it from her partner.

Scenario 2

A man who knows he is carrying the AIDS virus continues to have unprotected sex with others without telling them.

Scenario 3

A small group of drug users routinely share needles when getting high. One of them knows she has AIDS but does not tell the others.

Scenario 4

A man unknowingly received the AIDS virus during a blood transfusion that occurred before blood was screened for AIDS. He transmitted the virus to his partner.