Gi infections 1 - upper GI

Question 1

Outline the stages of infectious disease

Answer 1

1) exposure
2) incubation period
3) prodromal stage
4) illness
5) decline
6) Convalescence stage

Question 2

What happens in exposure

Answer 2

This is the first contact of the pathogen

Question 3

What is the incubation period

Answer 3

The time between exposure to pathogenic organism and the first appearance of symptoms

Question 4

Length of incubation period affected by several factors:

Answer 4

Virulence (how pathogenic).
Portal of entry.
Infective dose.
Immune system health.
Site of infection.
Pathogen specific factors (e.g., generation time).

Question 5

Explain the prodormal period

Answer 5

Early stage of a disease, when first symptoms appear but may not be typical symptoms.
Generalised symptoms: Malaise (general feeling of discomfort), fever, muscle aches.
Promordal period is Typically associated with immune system activation.

Question 6

What is the illness/infectious stage

Answer 6

Infection has developed.
Characteristic symptoms of infection (i.e., rice stool in cholera).
Most severe stage of infection, pathogen numbers at their peak.
Immune response limited or developing.
Transmission risk is at its highest at this stage.

Question 7

What is the decline stage

Answer 7

Immune response or medical intervention results in a killing/removal of the pathogen.
Symptoms begin to subside.
Immune response peak.

Question 8

What stage is it if the patient doesn’t enter is fatal

Answer 8

Infectious disease

Question 9

What is the convalescence stage

Answer 9

Recovery of patient (returns to previous health) - tissues and systems are repaired.

Length of time based upon:
Extent of damage.
Nature of pathogen.
Site of infection.
Overall health of patient.

Question 10

Outline the chain of infection

Answer 10

1) infectious agent
2) reservoir
3) portal of exit
4) mode of transmission
5) portal of entry
6) susceptible host