Summary of 1.1.1-1.1.6

In 1.1.1 we basically just learned about what medical interventions are. We made a poster with post-its, and wrote down all the medical interventions used today. Then, in 1.1.2 we were introduced to our first patient from the Smith family, Sue. Sue was at college and wasn't feeling well. She went to the college infirmary to get checked out and was shocked to see a lot of other students there with close to the same symptoms as her. This was just the beginning of our investigation of the outbreak on the college campus. In 1.1.3 we were taught how to identify pathogens using DNA. We learned how to use a PCR machine to copy DNA to run many tests on just one sample duplicated several times. We used the BLAST website to identify Sue's illness with her DNA strand. She was diagonsed with Bacterial Meningitis. We learned all about what this infection was and how it affected the body. Then in 1.1.5 we were taught what an ELISA test was. We did a lab on an ELISA test and used this for the patients including Sue. Basically an ELISA test can show you how much and long you have been infected with a certain antigen. Then finally to wrap up the lesson in 1.1.6 we identified each patient with a virus.

Bacterial Meningitis

Bacterial meningitis is a disease in which the meninges in the brain are infected. It is an infection in the sace surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Although bacterial meningitis is very rare, anyone could get it. If someone is infected with it, it may be diagnosed with the flu. Bacterial meningitis and the flu both have the same symptoms such as, fever, vomiting, headache, fatigue, and soreness. College students are more likely to get bacterial meningitis because of the living quarters. It is very important that everyone gets a vaccination for this disease because it can be fatal. The treatment of bacterial meningitis may vary, but the best treatment is avoiding it. Also, antibiotics can help cure it but first you must identify which type of bacterial meningitis it is. To prevent the spread or outbreak of bacterial meningitis, it is very important to wash your hands regularly, don't share food or drinks, and stay out of contact with the people that are infected with the disease.

How Antibodies Work

When the body is exposed to infection the immune system sends out antibodies to fight off the germs called antigens that make up the infection. Antibodies are made by a type of white blood cells called B-lymphocytes. These white blood cells are formed in bone marrow.