Bioscience Assignment: Tetanus, Wound Observations, Fever, Infections

This bioscience assignment addresses a case study involving a patient, Mary, who developed a tetanus infection following a deep wound. The assignment analyzes the causative microorganism, Clostridium tetani, and the importance of tetanus boosters. It examines Mary's wound observations, including increased temperature, redness, swelling, and purulent discharge, differentiating between signs and symptoms and explaining the underlying inflammatory responses. The assignment also explores the development and benefits of fever, and investigates the sources of Staphylococcus aureus contamination, distinguishing between endogenous and exogenous sources. Finally, it discusses the use of the antibiotic Augmentin in treating the infection and its effectiveness against various bacterial strains, supported by references to relevant literature.

1Running head:BIOSCIENCE
Bioscience
Name of student:
Name of university:
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Question 1
1. The causative microorganism the responsible for causing the infectious disease Tetanus is
Clostridium tetani which are a rod-shaped and anaerobic species of pathogenic bacteria.
Tetanus has drawn attention since the chances of developing the disease is high. The spores
of the microorganism are present in the surrounding environment and can easily infect a
person if careful measures are not taken. The spores of the organisms are found in dust, soil
and manure. As the spores enter the body of the host, they develop into full formed bacteria.
Lockjaw, as tetanus is commonly called, leads to muscle spasms, which might even cause
bone deformation. Statistical data indicates that death ratio is one out of ten for populations
across the world.
2. As per the guidelines of the Australian Immunisation Handbook, administration of tetanus
booster is imperative for addressing the challenge of developing the infection in individuals.
Mary had been given such a vaccine booster for her to not develop the infection. As per this
guideline, tetanus booster vaccines helps in preventing the development of the disease that
occurs when spores enter the body through deep cuts and wounds, like the 4 cm cut suffered
by Mary(immunise.health.gov.au, 2017).
Question 2
1. The three wound observations for Mary developed after the administration of the tetanus
vaccines are as follows-
• Increased temperature at the wound edges along with redness
• Swelling in areas surrounding the wound
• Purulent and odorous discharge

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Whether these observation are signs or symptoms of the presenting condition is a matter of
scrutiny. Since these observations can be detected by individuals other than Mary, they are
signs of the condition. A sign is the set of objective evidences a disease presents, while a
symptom is the set of subjective evidences a disease presents. Signs are apparently visible to
others apart from the patient, unlike symptoms (Marieb&Hoehn, 2016).
2. Mary had suffered tissue injury in her calf due to the deep cut while working in her rose
garden, aggrevating the cascade of inflammatory resposnes in the body. Increased
temperature and redness in the wound area, is the primitive response of the immune system of
the body against the pathogenic bodies entering the body. Injury is responsible for these
chemical to be released as they play the significant role in prevention of spreading of
infectious agents to the surrounding body parts. Some of the commonly acting chemicals are
kinins, histamine, prostaglandins and complement, all part of the immunological system.
Vasodilation of the arterioles follows, thereby leading to exudate formation. Arterioles are
thereafter dilated, giving rise to increased flow of blood coming into the area where the injury
has occurred. Increased heat in the area is the apparent result, together with redness in the
area.
3. The second observation is swelling which is caused due to increased capillary
permeability. This increase in permeability is due to the release of chemcials such as
prostaglandins and kinins. Swelling is evident prominently when the capillaries in a condition
to leak fluid, making the tissue spaces to get filled up with the fluid.
4. Purulent and odorous discharge is composed of tissue debris that has arised due to
necrosis of bacterial cells as a result of the inflammatory response. The ooze that comes out is
contains proteinousexedutes from the body (Marieb&Hoehn, 2016).

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Question 3
1. Fever in individuals is defined as the abnormal rise in the body temperature as a
methodical response provided by the body against any foreing particle entering the body that
has the poteintila of causing a disease. Mary had developed fever as a response against
possible chances of infection that might hve occurred due to her deep wound at the calf.
Exposure of leukocytes and macrophages to infectious foreing bodies is the casue of release
of pyrogen, a chemical. This alters the functioning of thermostat. Neuron clusters in our
hyperthalamus area of the brain are responsible for maintainign body temperature. When
pyrogens act on them, temperature rises.
2. The two distinct benefits of fever as as follows-
 Fever is the main cause of sequestering of iron and zinc from the liver and splee that
prevents growth of pathogenic bacteria.
 The metabolic rate of cells is enhanced due to fever, thereby stimulating the natural
repair system (Craft & Gordon, 2015).
Question 4
1. Source of contamination for the pathogenic microorganism Staphylococcus aureus can
be endogenous or exogenous. Endogenous soruce of infection refers to the source that was
already present within the body of the host itself before the infection occurred. The supposed
endogenous soure of infection for Mary is the presence of Staphylococcus aureus as the
normal microbiota of the skin. This microorganism is known to be present inside the layers of
skin of all individuals as well as sweat glands. Mosit environment is a suitable factor for the
growth of this organism. It is possible that Mary had developed the infection when the
bacteria had come in contact with the wound coming from nasal droplets. Nasal droplets

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might conatinthis organism that cause infection when there is an opportunity to do so due to
favoaurbale conditions. Skin wound is one of the most common cause of opportunistic
infections. Transfer of the organism between two distinct parts of the same individual is
themode of transmission for such infection.
2. Endogenous soruce of infection refers to any source that is external to the individual’s
body and comes from outside environment. In case of mary, the exogenous source of the
infection is the healthcare setting where she had gone for getting her booster. Staphylococcus
aureus infection is one of the most common healthcare associated infections (HAI), infections
that are caused while at health care settings. HAIs, or nosocomial infections, are due to
infectious bodies entering the host from the hospital setting. This is a result of cross infection
of patient, wherein infectious agents from one patient enters the body of the other. The best
known mode of transmission is person to person contact and therefore it is likely that Mary
had developed the same while coming in contact with an infected individual. The healthcare
professional administering the booster is might be responsible for the same. It has been found
that healthcare professionals are the carrier of such infection as they regularly come in
contact with patietnst who might be infected with the same (Lee & Bishop, 2016). .
Question 5
1. Since Mary had infection of Staphylococcus aureus as indictaed by the swab test, the
administration of the drug Augmentin was a suitable step. Augmentin is a speicalised
antibiotic that is of the group penicillin. The drug is the mixture of the two componenets
amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Research indicates that this drug is highly effective
against the strain methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Such strain of the
organism is resistant to the common drug methicillin and is more powerful for causing the

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infection. With an administration of the drug chances are less that the drug would not be
effective aganst the bacteria.
2. The combination of the two mentioned components of augmentin makes it effective
against a wide range of organisms. Some of the other diseases that can be treated with the
drug are urinary tract infection, ear infection, sinus infection or sinusitis, bronchitis and
pneumonia. It is a beta-lactamase inhibitor that acts as a highly effective agent against
susceptible isolates of different bacteria. The benefit of the drug is therefore far reaching
(Bullock & Manias, 2017).

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References
Bullock, S., & Manias, E. (2017). Fundamentals of pharmacology (8th ed.) (pp. 795).
Frenchs Forest, Australia: Pearson Australia.
Craft, J., & Gordon, C. (Eds.). (2015). Understanding pathophysiology (2nd Australian and
New Zealand ed.) (ch. 21). Chatswood, Australia: Elsevier. Available Online
Department of Health.(2017). 4.19 Tetanus. Retrieved from
http://www.immunise.health.gov.au/internet/immunise/publishing.nsf/Content/
Handbook10home~handbook10part4~handbook10-4-19
Lee, G., & Bishop, P. (Eds.). (2016). Microbiology and infection control for health
professionals (6th ed.) (ch. 7). Melbourne, Victoria: Pearson Australia.
Marieb, E.N., &Hoehn, K. (2016). Human anatomy & physiology (10th global ed.). (ch. 21).
Harlow, United Kingdom: Pearson Education.