Simple answer for all questions at least 100 words

Let’s face it – taking a class in Microbiology can elicit a mild case of Mysophobia (aka a germaphobe – someone with a strange affliction to germs) as you learn about the different ways you can acquire diseases from various sources. Suddenly, the guy coughing on the bus appears to be an incubator teeming with pathogens. The health department’s latest report on unsanitary restaurant conditions takes on a new meaning when you consider what could happen following transmission of fecal material to food or beverages.

Humans acquire diseases via many different routes, but the transmission can be classified as contact, indirect contact, or vectors. It is important to know how diseases are transmitted so that preventative measures can be taken to avoid infecting large numbers of people.

In this week’s discussion board, we will explore some of your daily interactions with potentially infected people or objects. Answer the questions below to complete the discussion question requirements for the week.

The discussion board is a great place to learn in an interactive environment, so be sure to participate actively in the weekly discussion. By doing so, the entire class benefits from the discussion and learning is significantly enhanced. To receive full credit for your posts, be sure that your posts are at least 50 words long and provide solid details or examples that move the discussion forward. It is highly recommended that you draft your responses in a Word document so that you may spell-check your post. You can then copy and paste your response into the discussion. This will also allow you to save your responses should you get timed out or experience other technical difficulties.

Discussion

1. Give a recent example of a time when you came into close contact with a potentially infected person or object. What type of illness were you potentially exposed to? What symptoms would you possibly develop if you became infected?
2. Field trip! Go into a public bathroom (or two) and observe the number of people that do not wash their hands before leaving. What percentage of people do NOT want to wash their hands? Would you approach a person that does not wash their hands? What might you say?
3. With the bathroom example as a background, its easy to see that humans are unknowingly exposed to dozens of potential pathogens each day. Think of all the stuff that people touch and carry around on their hands! Why do we not get sick more often? Offer at least 2 factors that protect us from most of these pathogens.