TOPIC 7: Human Nutrition

Cholera

Starter: Key word cross word

More terms.
Diarrhoea is the loss of watery faeces
Cholera is a disease caused by a bacterium >

Structure of a bacterial cell

How the cholera bacterium causes disease

Poor
sanitation

Inadequate
sewage
system

Lack of
clean
water

Houses
lack
basic
facilities
Crowded living
conditions

How does the bacterium cause

disease?
Lumen of small
intestine

Toxin
Chloride
Channel
Water

Cl

Cl

Cl

Cl

WATER POTENTIAL, WATER, LUMEN, OSMOSIS, CHLORIDE IONS, TOXIC

PROTEIN, MUCUS, FLAGELLUM (TAIL), THE PH IS ABOVE 4.5, ACIDIC, SMALL
INTESTINE WALL, SPECIFIC CARBOHYDRATE RECEPTORS, SECOND PART,
CHLORIDE CHANNELS TO OPEN, SMALL INTESTINE, EPITHELIAL CELLS,
LOWERS, CONCENTRATION GRADIENT, THE BLOOD, WATER TO FLOW BY
OSMOSIS
Most of the ingested bacteria are killed by the _______ conditions of the stomach. However, some may survive, especially if
__________________.
Surviving bacteria propel themselves, using their __________, through the ______ lining of the ____________________.
They then produce a __________. One part binds to _________________on the cell surface membrane of intestinal epithelial
cells. The __________ enters the epithelial cells, causing _____________________________.
______________leave the cell and enter the lumen of the ____________. This raises the water potential of the
______________ and ______ the ______________of the lumen. _________ flows from the cells to the __________ by
___________.
Ions leaving the epithelial cell creates a ______________________ and ions from _________diffuse in to replace them. This
causes _____________________________. Overall this causes diarrhoea, dehydration and loss of salts from blood.

Extension questions:
Which organ does the cholera toxin target? Why is its action so specific?
Suggest how inhibiting flagellum development in the pathogen may prevent the disease.

Fill in the blanks

Most of the ingested bacteria are killed by the acidic conditions of the stomach.
However, some may survive, especially if the pH is above 4.5.
Surviving bacteria propel themselves, using their flagellum, through the mucus lining of
the small intestine wall.
They then produce a toxic protein. One part binds to specific carbohydrate receptors on
the cell surface membrane of intestinal epithelial cells. The second part enters the
epithelial cells, causing chloride channels to open.
Chloride ions leave the cell and enter the lumen of the small intestine. This raises the
water potential of the epithelial cell and lowers the water potential of the lumen. Water
flows from the cells to the lumen by osmosis.
Ions leaving the epithelial cell creates a concentration gradient and ions from the blood
diffuse in to replace them. This causes water to follow by osmosis. Overall, this causes
diarrhoea, dehydration and loss of salts from blood.

What is oral rehydration therapy

(ORT)?
A solution containing the following:
Water: to rehydrate the tissues
Sodium: to replace Na+
lost from the epithelium of the
intestine and to make optimum use of
the alternative sodium-glucose carrier
proteins.
- Glucose: to stimulate the uptake of
of Na+ from the intestine and
to provide energy.
- Potassium: to replace lost K+ and
stimulate appetite.
- Other electrolytes: Cl- and citrate ions
to help prevent electrolyte imbalance.

How does ORT work?

Water is not being absorbed by the small
intestine,
due
to
unfavourable
concentration gradients.
If a solution of water, glucose and sodium
is administered orally, when this solution
arrives at the small intestine, glucose
mediated transport of sodium into the
epithelial cells occurs. This lowers the
water potential of the cells and water
diffuses from the lumen by osmosis.