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Science homework... help?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
A quick science question... Why does it take a few hours for a personal to feel ill when they become infected with Salmonella? And, does Salmonella like... "live" in the small intestines when you become infected? If that makes sense.
Thanks :p x
Post edited by JustV on

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    This homework is already late by the way... so please can you help ASAP :p So far I'm totally failing at this work..
    Xx
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    How long it takes depends upon the number of bacteria which you accidentally ingest (eat): if the number of bacteria is small, you may have a longer "incubation period"- the time between your contact with the germ and the beginning of illness.

    apparently :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What are you studying at the moment? Just because I'm assuming the answer will be related to your studies....
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    notanotherusername! wrote: »
    How long it takes depends upon the number of bacteria which you accidentally ingest (eat): if the number of bacteria is small, you may have a longer "incubation period"- the time between your contact with the germ and the beginning of illness.

    apparently :p

    ..But... why ?! :confused: Ahhh it's so confusing.

    And, at the moment, we are studying dinosaurs... But this is an assessment thing we have to do, for some stupid reason :rolleyes:
    Xx
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Right so someone eats something with Salmonella bacteria on it.

    Usually the stomach acid (because of the high acidity / low pH) wipes it out, but sometimes some gets through.

    The "incubation period" is the time between swallowing the bacteria, and the symptoms appearing. The reason for this delay is that the bacteria have to multiply. The time isn't the same for everyone - depends on the person, type of bacteria, amount swallowed etc etc.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Thank you :) !

    And, it is the white blood cells that kill it all off right?

    Xx
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Broken-Angel wrote: »
    Thank you :) !

    And, it is the white blood cells that kill it all off right?

    Xx

    :yes:

    But remember... first line of defence is the stomach acid.

    And then yeah, once the bacteria which survived the acid has attacked the walls of the intestine, the second line of defence is triggered... a response from the immune system.

    There are different types of white blood cells, which have different functions, to destroy the bacteria in different ways, but I think thats going a bit too far....
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah, the ones that produce antibodies and the ones that engulf the bacteria? Can't remember their names though ;) I generally don't go to science.
    Thank youuu xx
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    To go into detail from he top;

    You eat a piece of meat/egg/whatever that has some Salmonella, generally it resits even stomach acid because it is adapted for that, then it passes into your gut and multiplies like any disease, the optimum temp for it to multipy is about 60 celcius, your body is around 36-37.
    Circumstances of it taking so long (between 12-72 hours) depends on how bad the food is, say a potato salad has been left out for 9 hours and eaten by someone who had not eaten for a few hours it could be 2-3 hours, simply a matter of incubation time.

    White blood cells do the hard work of figthing it internally but *graphic* you get the shits big time with food poisoning and generally that expells almost all the bacteria over the course of the ordeal, then it comes out the other end too, generally people feel like they could have filled a bath with puke when they are done with it, simply the body expelling all that 'orrid stuff.

    Proper food poisoning, like full blown Staphylccous infections can kill people but that is very very rare because of precautions taken with food now.

    Enjoy your meals! :D
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