A canteen cook has no fever and feels well…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A canteen cook has no fever and feels well. A health check finds that the stool of the cook carries Salmonella typhi. In the same week, several students who ate in the canteen have a sustained high fever, stomach pain and constipation.
- What name do we give to a person like the cook?
- How did the students get the infection?
- Which test is used to find typhoid in a patient?
- Give two steps that the canteen should take.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
A pathogen is an organism or virus that causes disease. Typhoid is caused by Salmonella typhi, pneumonia by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae, and the common cold by rhinoviruses. Bacteria multiply by dividing in two, so after doublings the number is .
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) The cook is a carrier. He has the pathogen but no symptoms.
Step 2. (b) The bacteria leave in the faeces. If the hands are not washed well, they can reach the food, and the students swallow them. Typhoid spreads by contaminated food and water.
Step 3. (c) The Widal test.
Step 4. (d) The cook should not handle food until he is treated and cleared by a doctor. The canteen should enforce handwashing, safe water and clean food storage.
Answer: (a) carrier; (b) contaminated food; (c) Widal test; (d) keep the cook away from food until cleared, and enforce hygiene.
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