Question

Foodborne illness outbreaks can be caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Determine whether each outbreak was caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites.
a. A foodservice worker who doesn't wash his hands after handling contaminated seafood causes highly contagious tulike symptoms for passengers on a cruise ship
b. Raw oysters contaminated with Vibrio vulnicus.
c. An infected foodservice handler touches raw vegetables for a salad and transfers the condition that causes jaundice and liver damage to the customer who ordered the salad
d. A broken water main in a port town contaminates a boat's entre water supply with Cryptosporidium.
e. Prepackaged lettuce contaminated with Salmonella.
f. A broken meat thermometer ends up causing dinner guests to eat an undercooked pork roast infected with Thichinella spiralis.

Answer 1

Answer:

a. Undefined  

b. Bacteria

c. Viruses

d. Parasite

e. Bacteria

f. Parasite

Explanation:

In the first case is imperative to obtain more information in order to determine the causes of this contagious disease (contaminated seafood may be associated with different types of infections).

Vibrio vulnificus is a Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium associated with the consumption of contaminated oysters. V. vulnificus causes gastroenteritis, necrotizing infections and invasive sepsis.  

Jaundice is a condition caused by hepatitis A, B and E viruses, it is a disease associated with poor liver function and the destruction of red blood cells.  

Cryptosporidium parvum is a protist parasite (Phylum Apicomplexa) that causes the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis. C. parvum parasite is present in contaminated foods and water.

Salmonella enterica is a Gram-negative bacterium transmitted by eating contaminated foods, which causes severe diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain. Salmonella infection may also cause inflammatory diseases and dehydration.

Thichinella spiralis is a parasitic nematode that causes the trichinosis, a disease where larvae migrate to muscle, thereby producing muscle pains and serious pathologies. Trichinosis is caused by eating undercooked meat from contaminated animals.