B2 Flashcards
What are symptoms of a disease caused by?
Toxins that micro-organisms produce damage cells
Describe and explain the rate at which micro-organism can reproduce in the body
In the correct conditions( with warmth , moisture and nutrients) bacteria can multiply rapidly . The human body provides these conditions
Describe the two roles white blood cells protecting the body against disease.
They engulf and digest micro-organisms and also produce antibodies
Describe how antibodies recognise micro-organisms
Antibodies recognised micro-organisms by the antigens that the micro-organisms (pathogen) carries on its surface. Each antibody will fit a specific antigen
Why are different antibodies needed for different micro-organism?
Because antibodies are specific to certain antigens therefore for every different pathogen a different antibody is needed
Once a body has made the antibody they recognise a particular on a particular micro-organism, why can the body respond so quickly?
Memory cells can make the anti body very quickly and protect the body against the pathogen
Describe what immunity means?
Immunity is achieved when the body can produce antibodies (from memory cells) quickly enough to stop the micro-organism reproducing and reaching dangerous levels
How do vaccinations provide protection from micro-organisms?
They establish memory cells which produce antibodies quickly upon infection
What is a vaccine made from?
A safe form or a disease-causing micro-organism.
Why is it necessary to vaccine a high percentage of the population ?
To prevent epidemics of infectious diseases
Why can vaccines and drug never be completely risk free?
Because people have varying degrees of side effects to them.
Why do people react differently to drugs and vaccines ?
Because they have different genes
What are antimicrobials used for?
They are used to kill or inhibit bacteria and fungi
Antibiotics are a type of antimicrobial: what are they effect against and what are they not effect against?
They work against bacteria and fungi but not viruses
Over a period of time , bacteria and fungi may become resistant to antimicrobials; what does this mean for the effectiveness of the antimicrobial?
It means the antimicrobials are not as effective or will not work at all
How can micro-organisms become resistant to antimicrobials?
Random changes (mutations) in their genes lead to varieties that are less affected by the antimicrobials
What two things can we do to reduce antibiotic resistance?
We should only use antibiotics when necessary and always complete the course.
How are new drugs and vaccines tested for safety and effectiveness?
They are only tested on animals and human cells grown in a laboratory
Which two groups of people might new drugs and vaccines be tested upon and why?
Healthy volunteers to test for safety and on people with the illness to test for safety and effectivness
Explain what an open label trial is, and why it might be used ?
In an open trial the patient and doctor both know the treatment.This type of trial happen when there is no other treatment and the patients are so ill that doctors believe they will not recover from their illnesses.
Explain what a blind trial and why it might be used?
In a blind trial the volunteers do not know which group they are in but the researchers do . The problem is the researchers may give away clues to the volunteers without realising it . This is called observers bias, it makes the results unreliable.
Explain what is meant by an double blind? and why it might be used?
Neither the volunteers or researchers know what drug is being take , until the end of the trial. This removes the chances of bias and makes the results more reliable. But double blind trials are more complicated to set up.
Why is it important to conduct long term human trials?
Side affects must be studied over a long period of time;the drug needs to be tested on many different people.