Mumps, the common cold, and respiratory infections are caused by what type of pathogen?

Prepare for the Pivot Point Sanitation and Salon Ecology Exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Ensure your success!

Multiple Choice

Mumps, the common cold, and respiratory infections are caused by what type of pathogen?

Explanation:
Viruses are the type of pathogen responsible for these illnesses. Mumps is caused by a virus (a paramyxovirus), the common cold is most often due to viral agents like rhinoviruses (and sometimes coronaviruses), and many respiratory infections arise from viral infections as well. This is why antibiotics, which target bacteria, aren’t effective for these diseases. Vaccines help prevent some of these viral illnesses, such as the MMR vaccine for mumps. Fungi and prions don’t typically cause these common respiratory diseases, so they aren’t the best fit for these examples.

Viruses are the type of pathogen responsible for these illnesses. Mumps is caused by a virus (a paramyxovirus), the common cold is most often due to viral agents like rhinoviruses (and sometimes coronaviruses), and many respiratory infections arise from viral infections as well. This is why antibiotics, which target bacteria, aren’t effective for these diseases. Vaccines help prevent some of these viral illnesses, such as the MMR vaccine for mumps. Fungi and prions don’t typically cause these common respiratory diseases, so they aren’t the best fit for these examples.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Passetra

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy