Epidemics In America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Epidemics In America - Essay Example Merkel discusses the six epidemics in light of their biological context, their discovery, their distribution, their spread and their prevention of control. Most of the diseases discussed were due to viruses and bacteria. As discussed in the course, a virus is an a-cellular micro-organism. The book elaborates on it. The virus can only reproduce inside living cells where it multiplies. Aids happen due to a virus called HIV. This virus belongs to a virus class known as the retrovirus. Retroviruses are a type of viruses that are made of the RNA or the ribonucleic acid. The RNA makes up for the genetic composition of the retroviruses. HIV first infects the cell. Once the cell has been infected, HIV uses reverse transcriptase to transform RNA into DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. The DNA keeps on replicating itself by making use of the cell and its machinery. Merkel also spoke about why symptoms of AID take time to show in humans. This is because HIV is a slow virus. The subgroup of viruses t hat it belongs to is known lent viruses or slow viruses. Merkel like-wise elaborates on the biological background of tuberculosis. The concept has also been discussed in class. This disease is caused by a mycobacterium. Mycobacterium was the primary causative agent of tuberculosis back then. Another bacteria called Vibrio cholera is the primary causative agent of cholera. Back then there were no advance medical facilities to deal with these diseases, hence the results of the outbreak used to be even more drastic and worse?... Most of the diseases discussed were due to viruses and bacteria. As discussed in the course, a virus is an a-cellular micro-organism. The book elaborates on it. The virus can only reproduce inside living cells where it multiplies. Aids happen due to a virus called HIV. This virus belongs to a virus class known as retrovirus. Retroviruses are a type of viruses that are made of the RNA or the ribonucleic acid. The RNA makes up for the genetic composition of the retroviruses. HIV first infects the cell. Once the cell has been infected, HIV uses reverse transcriptase to transform RNA into DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid. The DNA keeps on replicating itself by making use of the cell and its machinery. Merkel also spoke about why symptoms of AID take time to show in humans. This is because HIV is a slow virus. The subgroup of viruses that it belongs to is known lent viruses or slow viruses. Merkel like-wise elaborates on the biological background of tuber-culosis. The concept has also been di scussed in class. This disease is caused by a myco-bacterium. Mycobacterium was the primary causative agent of tuberculosis back then. Another bactetia called vibrio cholera is the primary causative agent of cholera. Back then there were no advance medical facilities to deal with these diseases, hence the results of the outbreak used to be even more drastic and worse? Markel’s explains, rather elaborately six major infectious diseases i.e. tuberculosis plague, typhus, cholera, AIDS and bubonic plague. Most of the epidemics were due to bacteria. Typhus was caused by a bacterium called Ricktessia. The prevalent of epidemics due to bacteria was particularly emphasized.Merkel makes special reference to Koach’s postulate for disease causation in his book. Pathogen is present in all