Choose any disease from the following list. Write a short "biography" of this disease, including:

The Pathogen

Identify the pathogen, and mention any unusual or distinctive features. Identify prominent virulence factors that contribute to successful infections.

The Reservoir

Where is the pathogen typically found?

The Transmission route

How does the pathogen obtain access to the host?

Host infection

What types of disease does this pathogen produce? What tissues are affected?

Host defenses

How do infected hosts typically resist infection?

Use the index in your text as a starting point. A good text reference is Medical Microbiology, by Mims, Playfair, Roitt, Wakelin, and Williams. (1993). Mosby.

Shigella (four pathogenic species)
Streptococcus pyogenes
Staphylococcus aureus
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Listeria monocytogenes
Streptococcus pneumoniae
"Flesh-eating" Streptococci
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
Treponema pallidum
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Clostridium perfringens
Clostridium tetani
Yersinia pestis
Candida albicans
Ebola virus
Marburg virus
Herpes simplex virus
Rubella virus
Rabies virus
Hepatitis A virus
Hepatitis B virus
Prions

Return to Extra Credit Index Page

Return to Microbiology home page