When comparing salmonellosis and shigellosis, based on the relative infectious doses of the pathogens involved, ______. Multiple choice question.
A. fewer Salmonella cells are required to cause a salmonellosis infection
B. both diseases are equal in terms of their ability to be spread through a population
C. salmonellosis does not spread as easily through a population
D. more Shigella cells are required to cause a shigellosis infection
E. shigellosis does not spread as easily through a population
Answer (2)
The correct answer is D: more Shigella cells are required to cause a shigellosis infection. Shigella is more infectious than Salmonella, needing fewer cells to cause illness. Shigellosis generally spreads more easily among populations due to its low infectious dose.
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The correct answer to the multiple-choice question is that 'salmonellosis does not spread as easily through a population.'
When comparing salmonellosis and shigellosis based on their relative infectious doses, it is important to understand the nature of each disease.
Infectious Dose:
Shigellosis is known to have a very low infectious dose, meaning that it takes only a small number of Shigella bacteria to cause an infection. This makes shigellosis highly contagious compared to salmonellosis.
Salmonellosis, on the other hand, often requires a large number of Salmonella bacteria to cause an infection, making it less easily spread from person to person under normal circumstances.
Transmission:
Shigella is primarily spread through the fecal-oral route, which can occur in settings with poor sanitation or crowded environments. This ease of spread is largely due to the low infectious dose.
Salmonella is also spread through the fecal-oral route, typically associated with consuming contaminated food or water, but it requires a higher bacterial load to establish an infection.
Historical Context:
Both diseases are common bacterial infections that can cause diarrheal illness, with shigellosis being particularly notorious for its potential to cause outbreaks in institutional settings like schools or daycare centers.
Salmonella infections are more commonly associated with contaminated food products like poultry, eggs, and dairy.
In summary, the comparative ease of transmission due to the low infectious dose of Shigella makes shigellosis spread more quickly and easily through a population than salmonellosis.
