Question

Mary Mallon was a cook who served delicious food in the hotel, but unknowingly she was passing some pathogens, she herself was not suffering from the disease but was a carrier. Name the disease and the pathogen. Enumerate the symptoms.

Answer 1

The word disease means disturbed ease. It refers to any condition that impairs normal functioning of the living organisms. Disease may be a response to environmental factors, specific infective agents or inherent defects of the organisms or might be malfunctioning of organs with age.
Mary Mallon was born on 23rd September, 1869, in Cookstown, Ireland. She was also known as Typhoid Mary because she carried the bacteria that causes typhoid fever but not showing outward symptoms in her body.

Complete answer:
Simply we say that Mary Mallon was a cook and a typhoid carrier who continued to spread the disease for several years through the food prepared by her, before it was discovered.
Typhoid fever-
It is a bacterial disease which is caused by pathogenic bacteria Salmonella typhi. Bacteria can be multiplied quickly and are responsible for causing various diseases.
It is spread by contaminated hands. Water and food contaminated with faecal matter, by houseflies, etc.
It generally enters the small intestine and then migrates to other organs through blood.
Symptoms-
Constant high fever (39°C to 40°C)
Loss of appetite and Dehydration
Weakness and constipation
Stomach pain and headache
Fever rises in the afternoon and keeps increasing each day for 7-8 days. High in the second week, gradually decline during the 3rd-4th week.

Note-
The Salmonella typhi is a gram-negative bacteria which is red in colour and black stains at the centre. It is rod-shaped which grows in the small intestine of the human body.
Typhoid can be confirmed by the help of the Widal test. Typhoid can be prevented and controlled by proper sanitation, disposal of faecal matter, TAB vaccination, Typhoral oral vaccine, Chloramphenicol drug cures typhoid. Also, by maintaining good and healthy food habits.