Fever Development, Benefits, and Prescriptions - Essay Example

• Fever development and benefits (Total: 5 marks)
  • What is a fever? Explain how Peter's fever developed.

Fever is the rise in the internal body temperature to levels that are above normal. The normal body temperature of a person ranges from 37o to 38o Celsius. Thus a person is considered to have a fever when their body temperature exceeds the normal range (Bullock & Manias, 2017). Peter's fever developed after developing symptoms of influenza. Due to the influenza infection, he began to feel unwell and later developed an acute sore throat. This condition leads to an increase in his body temperature above the standard level.

• • State, with explanation, two benefits of fever.

Fever typically developed as a response to a given body infection and has certain benefits. Fever plays an important role in helping the body to fight infections. Research study indicates that fever helps the immune cells quickly reach and attack germs' harmful diseases (Lee & Bishop, 2016). Also, it provides the cells with a superpower that speeds the actions of the immune cells. The fever also raises the body temperature beyond the levels certain microbes can reproduce, thus hinder the rapid production and spread of certain infections.

• Prescription, mode of action, and effectiveness of phenoxymethylpenicillin. (Total: 10 marks)
  • Given that a virus causes influenza, why was Peter prescribed an antibiotic?

Antibiotics are mainly aimed at treating infections caused by bacteria. However, Peter, who was suffering from influenza caused by a virus, was prescribed antibiotics. One possible reason for the antibiotic's prescription was to feel better (Burchum & Rosenthal, 2014. Peter might have been on the road to recovery from the infection. As a result, it was necessary to administer him with antibiotics to suppress the disease and facilitate quick recovery. Besides, the drug was important in relieving the pain and countering the spread of other conditions. It was also prescribed to Peter to help him against attack from other infections caused by bacteria.

• • The doctor prescribed phenoxymethylpenicillin. Discuss the mode of action of phenoxymethylpenicillin.

Phenoxymethylpenicillin is an antibiotic that is useful in treating several bacterial infections such as strep throat. It typically exerts bactericidal actions against the microorganism sensitive to a penicillin (Bullock & Manias, 2017). This happens during the stage of active multiplication of the bacteria. The phenoxymethylpenicillin acts by inhibiting the biosynthesis of the cell-wall peptidoglycan in cell walls. When bacteria separate in the presence of penicillin, it cannot fil the holes left in the cell wall.

• • Explain why antibiotics are not effective against viruses.

Antibiotics are not effective against viruses for several reasons. One of the reasons is that viruses are so simple to the extent that they use their host cells to perform their activities. As a result, antiviral drugs work differently compared to antibiotics as they interfere with the viral enzyme. Antibiotic drugs only attack the parts of bacteria that viruses do not have, such as the wall (Craft & Gordon, 2019). Given that viruses do not have a cell wall, the antibiotic cannot affect it. Besides, antibiotics cannot attack and destroy the viruses since they only target specific machinery that is found in bacteria. The viruses do not contain this machinery; thus, antibiotics do not have a specific target to attack.

• Spreading of influenza and breaking its mode of transmission. (Total: 5 marks)
  • Name and describe two (2) possible ways that Peter could have contracted the influenza virus (modes of transmission).

Influenza viruses can be transmitted in human beings in different ways. In Peter's case, two possible ways can explain how he contracted the disease and include direct contact with the infected person and contact with the contaminated objects. In the first case, Peter might have contacted people who are infected with influenza. This is because flu is an airborne disease that can readily be transmitted from one person to another (Bullock & Manias, 2017). This can include close interaction with infected individuals and activities such as shaking hands, sneezing, hugging, and sharing items.

The second possible way that might have led to Peter contracting the influenza is contacting certain contaminated objects. The contaminated objects can lead to the spread of the disease from one person to another (Lee & Bishop, 2016). These objects can include fomites such as toys and doorknobs. This can only happen when Peter failed to wash his hands immediately after touching certain contaminated items.

• • Identify and explain two (2) ways by which the modes of transmission could be broken.

The mode of transmission of influenza can be broken into two that include respiratory information and aerosol transmission. The respiratory transmission can depend on the aerosols containing the particles of the virus. This transmission method can be due to activities such as singing, speaking, and normal breathing. Methods such as sneezing and coughing are also methods that can cause influenza due to forceful transmission.

Nasal secretion is another method that can lead to the spread of influenza from one person to another (Burchum & Rosenthal, 2014. Nasal secretion containing particles of the virus can be responsible for direct contact transmission or transmission from the contaminated objects. Under this transmission method, the infected individual frequently touches their nose, and this places the virus in hand. As a result, intimate or non-intimate contacts that can include shaking hands can transfer the virus to other people who will eventually infect themselves by touching the nose, eyes, or mouth. Also, when contaminated hands of a personal touch different items, the virus are transmitted to them.

• Physiological basis of the three signs of the disease in Peter’s throat (Total: 10 marks)
  • Describe the physiological basis of the first sign in Peter’s throat. Relate your response to this case study.

The red spot in the back of Peter's throat can indicate a bacterial or viral infection. Peter developed a sore throat after acquiring infections. Different factors might have caused the sore throat that Peter developed. The flu-related coughing is a possible way that could lead to sore throats. Viruses such as influenza often cause swollen throat without coughing (Craft & Gordon, 2019). In the earliest stages of the flue, a person's sore throat might feel irritated and scratchy. Besides, the infected person might develop a feeling of strange sensation when swallowing drinks or food. The sore throat can also create worse as the viral infection continue to progress in a person.

• • Describe the physiological basis of the second sign in Peter’s throat. Relate your response to this case study.

The second sign of Peter's swollen sore throat. The swollen, sore throat can be an indication of tonsillitis. Tonsillitis normally occurs when a person has certain infections (Lee & Bishop, 2016). In Peter's case, tonsillitis is caused by strep throat, leading to several complications if not treated. It can indicate the irritation of the throat or excessive coughing, which causes the tonsil to swell. The viruses are responsible for causing swollen glands and sore throat before the body successfully fights the infection.

• • Describe the physiological basis of the third sign in Peter’s throat. Relate your response to this case study.

Having a patchy covering of yellow-white exudate over Peter's tonsils was another sign in his throat. The patch is an indication of tonsils, which are calcium deposits that form in small cracks in the tonsils. The patch normally results from the build-up of mucus, food particles, and bacteria (Burchum & Rosenthal, 2014). This condition can lead to bad breath, earaches, and sore throat.

• Replication of microorganisms (Total: 5 marks)
  • Compare and contrast the processes by which viruses and bacteria replicate

Viruses cannot replicate with the metabolism and machinery of the host cell. Although the life cycle of virus replication differs significantly between category and species of the virus, there are typically six main stages critical for the replication process (Craft & Gordon, 2019). The five steps include attachment, penetration, un-coating, replication, assembly, and virion release.

Bacteria replication undergoes the binary fission process. The process allows bacteria to copy their DNA, grows in size, and eventually splits into two identical cells (Craft & Gordon, 2019). Besides, bacteria can swap the DNA through conjugation, which enables them to share certain characteristics and traits that can help overcome stresses like the antibiotic.