2.5f Challenges in treatment and control Flashcards
What is epidemiology?
the study of the outbreak and spread of infectious disease
What is the herd immunity threshold?
the density of resistant hosts in the population required to prevent an epidemic
How do vaccines work?
they contain antigens that will elicit and immune response
Why is it difficult to find drug compounds that only target the parasite?
the similarities between host and parasite metabolism
Explain antigenic variation and vaccine design
Antigenic variation has to be reflected in the design of vaccines
What makes it difficult to design vaccines?
Some parasites are difficult to culture in the laboratory
Where do parasites spread most rapidly?
- overcrowding
- tropical climates
When can overcrowding occur?
in refugee camps that result from war or natural disaster or rapidly growing cities in LEDCs
What do overcrowding and tropical climates make difficult?
they make coordinated treatment and control programs difficult to achieve
What may often be the only practical control strategy?
civil engineering projects to improve sanitisation combined with coordinated vector control
What is the effect of improvements in parasite control?
- reduce child mortality
- and result in population wide improvements in child development and intelligence,
- as individuals have more resources for growth and development
