4.1.1 Communicable diseases, disease prevention and the immune system Flashcards
What is a disease?
An illness or disorder of the body or mind that leads to poor health.
What are communicable diseases?
Diseases are caused by pathogens which can be passed from infected to infected people.
Give some examples of communicable diseases.
- Cholera
- Malaria
- HIV/Aids
- Tuberculosis (TB)
Give some examples of non communicable diseases.
- Lung cancer
- Sickle cell anaemia
- Cystic fibrosis
Name four groups of pathogens that can cause communicable diseases.
-Bacteria
-Viruses
-Protosista
-Fungi
Give an example of a communicable disease caused by bacteria in plants.
Ring rot.
Give an example of a communicable disease caused by bacteria in humans.
Tuberculosis
Give an example of a communicable disease caused by viruses in plants
Tobacco mosaic virus
Give an example of a communicable disease caused by viruses in humans
HIV/Aids
Give an example of a communicable disease caused by protostista in plants
Potato blight
Give an example of a communicable disease caused by protosista in humans
Malaria
Give an example of a communicable disease caused by fungi in plants
Black sigatoka
Give an example of a communicable disease caused by fungi in humans
Athletes foot
What are the filaments in the body of fungi called?
Hyphae
How is malaria spread?
A female mosquito feeds on a human who is infected with malaria, then when she takes up their blood she will also take up the pathogen and so the next person she feeds on will get malaria.
It can also be transferred via blood transfusion or across the placenta to babies.
Structure of viruses.
Viruses do not have a cellular structure as they infect host cells.
How do pathogens maintain survival?
They must be able to successfully transfer from host to host.
What are the two types of disease transmission?
Direct and indirect.
Define direct transmission.
Transmission from one host to another host.
How can pathogens transmitted directly?
-physical contact
- close proximity.
-Spores
-Sexual intercourse
What are spores?
Reproductive structures that are dispersed via wind or water.
How is HIV/Aids transmitted?
direct exchange of body fluids.
E.g:
* Sexual intercourse
* Blood donation.
* Sharing of needles used by intravenous drug users.
* From mother to child across the placenta, from breast milk and during birth.
Give an example of diseases that can be directly transmitted.
-HIV/Aids
-Tuberculosis
How is tuberculosis transmitted?
When uninflected people inhale droplets from infected peoples cough or sneeze.
TB therefore spreads in places with severe overcrowding.
One form of TB can be transmitted in contaminated meet and unpasteurised milk however this is only usually the case in developing countries.
What is indirect transmission?
When a second organism (a vector) that is unaffected by the pathogen transfers it to a new host.
Give an example of disease which are transmitted indirectly.
Malaria
What is the vector in the disease malaria?
The female mosquito.
How do resistance and immunity differ?
Resistance is different to immunity as when resistant individuals are exposed to the pathogen for the first time they do not develop the disease and suffer no symptoms.
However, an immune individual is someone who has been previously infected with the pathogen, suffered the symptoms and recovered. Therefore they are unlikely to develop symptoms of the disease when exposed to the pathogen again.
State some factors affecting disease transmission.
-Proximity
-Poverty
-Culture
Why does high proximity with others lead to increased disease transmission?
Places with high population densities are more likely to have high infection rates e.g cities and schools.
Give an example of how high proximity with others leads to increased disease transmission?
-Tuberculosis transmission is high where people have to sleep in confined quarters e.g poor housing and homeless shelters.
Farmers who grow a large number of plants in a small area and leaves touch each other make the transmission of pathogens very easy.
Why do high poverty levels lead to increased disease transmission?
Those who live below the poverty line usually live in areas with crowded housing and no sewage systems with poor sanitation. And they may have less access to hygiene products.
Give an example of how high poverty levels leads to increased disease transmission?
Diseases such as thyphoid, cholera and polio spread when human faecal matter enters and contaminates drinking water.
Why could cultural differences lead to increased disease transmission?
In some parts of Africa, it is religious and a cultural tradition to touch and kiss the dead. This was a major problem when Ebola was spreading in Africa.
What is a endemic?
A disease that is always present in a population.
What is a epidemic?
When there is a large increase in the number of cases of a disease.
What is a pandemic?
An epidemic that occurs on a large scale and crosses international boundaries.
What are passive defence mechanisms?
Defence mechanisms that are always present. E.g physical barriers.
What are active defence mechanisms?
Defence mechanisms which are activated when a plant is invaded by a pathogen. E.g depositing callose.
Give some examples of passive defence mechanisms in plants?
-Waxy cuticle
-Cellulose cell wall
-Closed stomata
-Bark
-Casparian strip
How does a plants waxy cuticle act as a physical barrier for pathogens?
Prevents pathogens from entering as well as prevents water collection on a leaf which prevents water-borne diseases from spreading.
What are some chemical defences in plants?
-Sticky resin found in bark
-Some plants produce chemicals which destroy the membranes of pathogens.
-Phytoalexins inhibit the growth of pathogens.
What is the role of the first line of defence in animals?
To prevent the entry of pathogens.
Give some examples of the first line of defence against pathogens.
-Skin
-Mucous membranes
-Expulsive reflexes
-Chemical secretions
How does the skin act as a first line of defence against pathogens?
-Posses an outer layer of dead, dry, hardened cells filled with keratin.
This is a physical barrier to protect pathogens
*There are secretions of sebum which contain fatty acids and have anti-microbial properties.
Evaporation of sweat from skin leaves behind a salt residue.
Where are mucous membranes found?
The gut, airways and reproductive systems.
How do mucous membranes act as a first line of defence against pathogens?
Mucous membrane consist of epithelial cells and mucus-secreting cells like goblet cells.
Mucus contains lots of glycoproteins with long carbohydrate chains. These chains are what make mucus sticky.
Viruses, bacteria, pollen and dust float around the air and mucus in the airways can trap these particles and move them by cilia.
How do expulsive reflexes act as a first line of defence against pathogens?
When a pathogen irritates the lining of an airway it can trigger an Expulsive reflex; a cough or a sneeze.
These result in a sudden expulsion of air and this air contains the secretions from the respiratory tract as well as the foreign particles which have entered it.