10. Protection against infection Flashcards
What are communicable diseases?
Diseases that are caused by foreign organisms invading the body and multiplying
What are pathogens?
Disease causing organisms
What does it mean if a disease is contagious?
It means the disease is passed on by diret contact with a person suffering the disease, or by contact with something touched by the person
What are vectors?
They are intermediate hosts of the pathogen (mosquitos or fleas)
Are the majority of bacteria, pathogenic or non-pathogenic
Non-pathogenic, meaning they live in our skin, alimentary canal or in the body
How are bacteria classified?
They all consist of a single cell and are classified according to their shape
Describe the structure of a bacteria cell:
- Slime layer around the outside of some bacteria
- Cell wall: composition varies but are often made of peptidoglycan
- Cell membrane is similar to other cells
- No nuclear membrane, DNA forms a tangle inside the cell, some in loops
- May have flagella for movement
- Cytoplasm appears granular due to the presence of ribosomes
- No membrane-bound organelles
- Capsule formed of complex carbohydrates in some for protection
What are the different types of bacterial cell types?
Cocci, Bacilli, Spirilla, Vibrio
What are Cocci?
Spherical cells, may occur single, in pairs (diplococci), in clusters (staphylococci) or in chains (streptococci)
What are bacilli?
Rod shaped cells with flagella
What are spirilla?
Twisted cells
What are Vibrio?
curved rods, shaped like a comma
What are viruses?
Structures too small to be seen under a light microscope, single celled organisms able to multiply within a host
What are distinctive structures in viruses?
All viruses have genetic material in either DNA or RNA form, never both
This genetic material was surrounded by a protein coat
Some viruses have an additional envelope of lipid or protein molecules
What happens when a virus infects a living cell?
Its DNA or RNA induced the cell to manufacture more virus particles
These then are able to infect other cells
What are bacteriophages?
Viruses that are able to multiply in bacterial cells which can cause the death of the bacterium
Are all viruses bad?
No, not all are harmful and they can even be used to insert new genes into other organisms
What are the different types of transmissions of a pathogen?
Transmission by contact Transmission of bodily fluids Infection of droplets Ingestion Airborne transmission Transmission by vector
How is a pathogen transmitted by contact?
- Contact may be direct (touching an infected person)
- Indirect: touching an object that has been touched by an infected individual
- Skin infections and STI’s are spread by contact
How is a pathogen transmitted via bodily fluids?
- Blood or bodily fluids can come into contact with the mucous membrane (nose, mouth, throat, genitals) or bloodstream of an uninfected person
- Through a needle stick, break in the skin, or unprotected sex
- Pathogens may enter the body of the person
- HIV, Hepatitis B and C
How is a pathogen transmitted by droplets?
- tiny droplets of moisture, harbouring pathogenic organisms are emitted when breathing, tlakimg, sneezing and coughing
- Droplets may be breathed in by others, or may settle on food or utensils and be ingested with food
- Viral infections are often spread this way- measles, mumps, colds, influenza
How are pathogens transmitted through ingestion?
- Taking in food or drink contaminated by pathogens
- Dysentery, typhoid fever, salmonella