B5: Communicable Diseases Flashcards
What is a Communicable Disease?
A disease caused by pathogens, which can be spread from one person to another.
What is a pathogen?
A microorganism which causes a communicable (infectious) disease, examples include bacteria and viruses.
Define health.
A state of physical and mental wellbeing.
What can cause diseases?
Pathogens (like viruses and bacteria) - communicable
Life situations (stress, poor diet, financial status, gender, where you live) - Non-communicable
What is a defective immune system?
An immune system which is not able to fight off viruses or other pathogens effectively (e.g. people with HIV)
What other diseases can physical diseases trigger?
Mental diseases (e.g. a person with arthritis cannot move, and thus develop depression due to the inability to lead a normal life)
How do bacteria cause harm to the body?
(Once in the body they multiply and, under the right conditions, can divide every 20 mins)
They release toxins which can damage tissues and make us feel ill.
How do viruses cause harm to the body?
Viruses can only reproduce inside a host cell - this can damage the cell because when the virus wants to leave the cell, the cell will burst open and die
How can pathogens be spread?
Air droplets (influenza)
Water (cholera)
Physical contact (HIV)
How can the spread of pathogens be reduced?
Practicing basic hygiene (e.g. washing your hands before eating)
Providing clean drinking water
Use sanitation (e.g. condoms during sex)
Isolating infected patients
Vaccination
Name 2 viral diseases
Measles and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
Why are viruses more dangerous that bacteria?
Viruses cannot be killed by antibiotics
(They multiply inside the cell, thus they are are harder to reach without damaging healthy cells)
What are the symptoms of measles?
Initial fever
A red skin rash after ~ 3 days
How is measles spread?
Air droplets from an infected person.
What are the dangers of measles?
Damage to the brain and breathing system.
- In severe cases can be fatal
How is measles treated?
Vaccination from a young age.
What are the symptoms of HIV?
Flu
How is HIV spread?
Physical contact (sex or sharing needles)
What are the dangers of HIV?
The symptoms are mild, therefore the patient is unable to tell when the virus is attacking the immune system and, over time, it becomes severely damaged
(At one point it becomes so badly damaged that it cannot fight off other diseases (e.g cancer)(defective immune system)
The patient is now more likely to develop cancer and TB (late stage HIV/ AIDS - fatal)
How is HIV treated?
Antiretroviral drugs (stop the virus from multiplying - patient does not develop AIDS)
What is a problem of treating HIV?
The patient has to take antiretroviral drugs for the rest of their life.
Name 2 bacterial diseases
Gonorrhoea and Salmonella
How is salmonella spread?
By ingesting infected food
- prepared in unhygienic conditions