Ingestion

Pathogens transmitted via ingestion

• Pathogens transmitted through ingestion include viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
• The faecal-oral route is the most common transmission route for these pathogens.
• Contaminated drinking water or food prepared by unhygienic workers can lead to ingestion of pathogens.
• Examples of diseases transmitted through the faecal-oral route include hepatitis A, polio, and cholera.
• Some pathogens can be ingested through other routes, such as the larvae of the parasite Trichinella being transmitted through eating infected flesh.

Ingestion of foreign objects

• Disk batteries, also known as button cells, are often accidentally ingested.
• Children and the elderly are particularly prone to swallowing these batteries.
• Battery ingestion can cause medical issues such as blocked airway, vomiting, and skin rash.
• Mistaking batteries for medication pills or accidental swallowing during battery replacement can lead to ingestion.
• Nickel metal allergy can also result from battery ingestion.

Abnormal ingestion behaviors

• Pica is an abnormal appetite for non-nutritive objects or unconventional food items.
• Coprophagia is the consumption of feces, which is common in some animals.
• Pica can involve ingesting substances like flour that are not normally eaten.
• Abnormal ingestive behaviors like coprophagia and pica are considered abnormal eating habits.
• These behaviors are more prevalent in certain animals and may indicate underlying health issues.

Diseases caused by specific pathogens

• Trichinellosis is a disease caused by the parasite Trichinella.
• Dracunculiasis is a disease caused by the parasite Dracunculus.
• Salmonella is a bacterium that commonly infects humans through the consumption of undercooked eggs.
• Estimates show the number of illnesses caused by Salmonella Enteritidis in eggs in the United States.

Ingestion Data Sources