Activity 5.1.2: Infectious Disease Agents
Introduction
In the last activity, you were presented with an incomplete piece of Anna’s medical
history documenting an unknown illness. In this activity you will begin your detective
work by exploring the different types of pathogens as well as examining specific
examples of each type in order to identify what is plaguing Anna. There are six major
types of infectious agents: bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, helminthes, and prions.
You will investigate a variety of diseases caused by infectious agents and use this
information to determine the tests you will need to perform in the subsequent
activities to fill in the missing pieces from Anna’s medical history.
Equipment
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Computer with Internet access
Laboratory journal
Activity 5.1.2 Disease Cards Resource Sheet or Disease Cards PowerPoint
Activity 5.1.1 Medical History Resource Sheet
PBS Course File
Procedure
1. Create the following graphic organizer in your laboratory journal.
Type of
Infectious
Agent
Disease
Examples
Modes of
Transmission
Does the
How the
Agent Require Agent is
a Host for
Treated
Reproduction?
Bacteria
Strep throat
Airborne
No
penicilin
Viruses
Common cold
Enters body
through
mouth or
nose
No
No cure
Fungus
dermatophytes Can spread
by direct skin
to skin
yes
Antifungal or
ural
medication
Protozoa
malaria
yes
Administration
of
Parasites live
in the
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PBS Activity 5.1.2 Infectious Disease Agents – Page 1
intestines
medications
specific to
giadaiia
infection
Helminthes Tape worm
Must come in
contact soil
mixed with
human feces
Prions
Caused by an No
abnormal
verisone of a
kind of
protein
CJD prion
yes
Administration
of anti
parasite
medication
No effective
treatment
2. Work with a partner and read through each Disease Card (either on the resource
sheet or on the presentation). As you read, highlight key information on each
disease.
3. Note any similarities between the diseases caused by the same type of infectious
agent. Based on this, fill in your graphic organizer.
4. If necessary, use the Internet to research the six types of infectious agents and
fill in any missing information in your graphic organizer.
5. Answer the Conclusion questions.
Conclusion
1. Why is it useful for epidemiologists, scientists who study disease, to categorize
diseases based on different factors, such as modes of transmission?
2. Based on what you know about the six types of infectious agents, what type of
agent do you think was plaguing Anna? Explain your reasoning.
3. How would the infection simulation you performed in the last activity have been
different if you had performed it for syphilis? What about for malaria? (Hint: Think
about the transmission of these diseases.)
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PBS Activity 5.1.2 Infectious Disease Agents – Page 2
4. Using your completed graphic organizer, what can be done to prevent the
transmission of each infectious agent?
Bacteria:
Viruses:
Fungus:
Protozoa:
Helminthes:
Prions:
5. What should your next steps be as medical detectives in order to fill in the
missing pieces of Anna’s medical history? Refer to your Activity 5.1.1 Medical
History Resource Sheet for ideas.
© 2013 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
PBS Activity 5.1.2 Infectious Disease Agents – Page 3