Explaining the characteristics of a pathogen

I have just been given an assignment brief and one of the information that is needed says to 'explain the characteristics of the five main types of pathogens and a disease caused by each.I don't understand what it means by characteristics.My teacher said it's kind of the shape and stuff but not really,I'm so confused she doesn't even explain properly by what it meant!!!Please can someone help I'd be most grateful😭

So characteristics can include shape, structure and anything else unique to them, any shared features that are common in that type of pathogen. For example, fungi release spores and that makes them different to other types of pathogens. Another example could be the organelles and DNA in bacteria that are different to eukaryotic cells.

So characteristics can include shape, structure and anything else unique to them, any shared features that are common in that type of pathogen. For example, fungi release spores and that makes them different to other types of pathogens. Another example could be the organelles and DNA in bacteria that are different to eukaryotic cells.

one more question, what would I refer to if I was writing about the characteristics of a disease relating to a pathogen?
and also if I was saying the characteristics of a bacteria for instance,can I use whats similar to a eukaryotic cell and different as a characteristic,if you understand.

How much detail does it require? What does your information sheet say?

referring to my sheet,it says 'Explanation of the characteristics of the five main pathogenic organisms linked to a disease of each'.Does that not mean the shape or structure then,how would i do that?im so confused ;(

For characteristics of the disease, I would say what/where it affects and how it affects it. For example, ringworm in cattle is a growth of fungus in skin and spores erupt through skin to cause a rash.

For the characteristics of the pathogens, it's just the same as what I said earlier.

ahh so if it says 'linked' it just means the information with it? because i think i was just confused by only putting characteristics of a pathogen only linked to a disease, but i guess its just how its worded haha!

Yeah it's badly worded, given your teacher said you can talk about shape and structure not everything would have to be related to the disease.

Thank you so much.Thats one step I can go forward now 😂I'm so worried as i really can't grasp what an assignment asks for,it's very confusing.I have a long way yet 😭May I asked you if I am able to attach my assignment brief if your able to give me simple guidelines of what I'm exactly to do??

Yeah, sure.

I just don't understand what I really need to do,information is everywhere and I don't know where to start or what to write about!

Sorry for the late reply, how is your assignment going now?

I don't think I cam help much as I did A-levels and we had no assignments but I would probably break it down. Do each part, take a break, and then go back to it. Make sure you really understand each section, if there's any terminology you don't understand then research it. Making a checklist would help and you can tick things off so at the end you can make sure you've got everything. Refer to the criteria too to make sure you've met them as that is what they're marking you on. Finally, best of luck! Is this your first assignment of the course? I'm sure with practise you'll get better at written assigments and understanding what they ask you for.

I'm really stressed and feel like I'm getting nowhere I think it's time too to be honest.I get so stressed I am gonna request for more time I feel two weeks isn't enough at all!

What are you struggling with? Is it the research or how to organise everything/the workload that's stressing you or something else?

It's what to write and stuff.Im like that when it comes to coursework and stuff I can't se to grasp what it asks for and how to do it 😩

Does this help clear things? It's a lot of stuff to take it and as I said above, you have to break it down. You'll find that it mentions a lot of the same things but rewords it and you've just got to list the key points down. Use this as a checklist and see if you can do the same for the non-infectious diseases.

Task: Two case studies - one for infectious and one for non-infectious

Case study 1: Infectious disease

For each category (bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungus, protoctista) choose a disease and include:
- Characteristics (link it to the disease you choose)
- Factors that lead to the development (e.g. causes)
- Life cycles (how each disease progresses)
- Biological mechanisms oof the disease and
- Changes to the structure AND functions of organs (the physiological effects) from the disease, linked to..
- Effects on the health and well being, difficulties in leading a normal life (use sentences to make it easy for the marker to see you've met the criteria e.g. "x disease effects the health by.." "this makes sufferers ability to lead a normal life difficult because..")

I think you've made it look easier thank you😃one thing though this is the case study,separately do I still vaguely give the characteristics and life cycles etc of each pathogen before I go into depth with this case study?i think the linking and stuff confused me because obviously if that's all I'm doing I've been separately writing some random stuff without linking the disease to it!