Understanding Bacteria and Disease

General Information About Bacteria

• Common misconception: Bacteria = disease.
• Reality: Most bacteria do not affect humans negatively.
  • Many beneficial bacteria exist, e.g., those in our intestines aiding digestion.

Harmful Bacteria and Disease

• Focus on "bad" bacteria that infect humans.
• Bacteria are single-celled organisms, 100 times smaller than human cells.

Bacteria Reproduction and Toxin Production

• Bacteria can reproduce independently and rapidly in the human body.
• They thrive due to a good food supply but may produce toxins causing illness by damaging cells and tissues.

Example: Salmonella

• Cause: Food poisoning.
• Transmission: Contaminated food, especially undercooked chicken.
  • Chickens in the UK are vaccinated against Salmonella, making cases rare.
• Symptoms: Fever, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea.
• Recovery: Generally self-resolving within a week; stay hydrated.

Example: Gonorrhea

• Nature: A sexually transmitted disease (STD).
• Transmission: Through sexual contact, especially unprotected sex.
• Symptoms: Pain during urination, thick yellow/green discharge from genitals.
• Prevention: Safe sex practices, use of barrier contraception (condoms).
• Treatment:
  • Historically treated with penicillin.
  • Current challenge: Many strains resistant to penicillin, requiring more expensive antibiotics.

Additional Resources

• Videos and educational content available on Cognito's website.
• Features include tracking progress, practice questions, and past papers.
• Accessibility: Free sign-up, available playlists on YouTube.