Contents
Key Stage 4
Meaning
A magnified image of several bacteria.
A pathogenic bacteria are bacteria which cause disease.
About Pathogenic Bacteria
- When a pathogenic bacteria enters the body it divides quickly making millions of copies of itself.
- Pathogenic bacteria make you feel ill because they release toxins into the body.
- Some pathogenic bacteria have a tail called a flagellum.
- Some pathogenic bacteria are encased in a slime capsule which protects them from phagocytes and some toxic chemicals.
- Bacteria are prokaryotes so they do not have a nucleus, mitochondria or chloroplasts.
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| A diagram showing the features of an E.coli bacterium. |
Examples
- Cholera is a pathogenic bacteria spread in the water supply.
- E.coli is a pathogenic bacteria found in meat.
- Salmonella is a pathogenic bacteria found particularly in raw chicken meat but can be spread to other foods through contact.
- Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted pathogenic bacteria which is spread in the body fluids of organisms.