A doctor sees three patients. One has a bad cough and trouble breathing…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A doctor sees three patients. One has a bad cough and trouble breathing. One has yellow eyes and skin. One has a high fever, a headache, and has become confused. Which organ is the microbe most likely to have settled in for each patient?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Infectious diseases are caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms. They spread through the air, water and food, contact and blood, from mother to child, and by vectors such as the female Anopheles mosquito and the housefly. The organ where the microbe settles decides the signs: the lungs, the liver or the brain.
The worked solution
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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. The cough. Trouble breathing points to the lungs, as in tuberculosis.
Step 2. The yellow eyes. The skin and eyes turn yellow when the liver stops working well, as in jaundice.
Step 3. The confusion. A high fever, headache and confusion point to the brain, as in encephalitis.
Answer: lungs, liver, brain.
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