Biology - Microbes & Disease

Question 1

What is a communicable disease?

Answer 1

A disease that can be spread from one person to another.

Question 2

Is cancer a communicable or non-communicable disease?

Answer 2

Non-communicable

Question 3

What is the name for a microorganism that can cause harm to humans?

Answer 3

A pathogen

Question 4

What are the 4 main types of pathogen?

Answer 4

Virus, Bacterium, Fungus and Protist

Question 5

Which type of pathogen is malaria?

Answer 5

A protist

Question 6

What type of pathogen is salmonella (a common cause of food poisoning)

Answer 6

bacteria

Question 7

What are five types of transmission for a disease?

Answer 7

Direct contact, through water, through air, unhygienic food preparation, through vectors (such as mosquitos)

Question 8

What is the name for the type of drugs designed to specifically fight bacterial infections?

Answer 8

Antibiotics

Question 9

What is the name for the type of drugs designed to specifically fight viral infections?

Answer 9

Antiviral drugs

Question 10

What are your body’s first line of defence against pathogens?

Answer 10

Your skin, your nose, your trachea and bronchi and your stomach.

Question 11

How does your skin protect you from pathogens?

Answer 11

It is a physical barrier that covers almost all of your body, it can heal itself if cut.

Question 12

How does your nose protect you from pathogens?

Answer 12

The nose has hair and produces mucus which traps pathogens to stop them entering the body.

Question 13

How do your stomach protect you from pathogens?

Answer 13

Your stomach is very acidic and will kill any pathogens that have been consumed by your body.

Question 14

What are the two main cells that make up your immune system?

Answer 14

Phagocytes and lymphocytes (these are both white blood cells)

Question 15

How does a phagocyte protect you from disease?

Answer 15

The phagocyte’s will surround the pathogen and break it down in order to destroy it.

Question 16

What are antibodies?

Answer 16

Antibodies are produced by lymphocytes and cover the surface of pathogens to cause them to stick together. This makes them less harmful and easier for your body to remove.

Question 17

Which of these diseases can be treated with antibiotics?

Malaria, group A Streptococcus or HIV

Answer 17

Chlamydia as it is a bacterial infection

Question 18

What type of blood cells produce antibodies?

Answer 18

Lymphocytes

Question 19

What piece of equipment is needed to see a microorganism?

Answer 19

Microscope

Question 20

Some microorganisms can be useful. Which substance, produced by bacteria, turns milk into yoghurt?
Ethanol, lactose or lactic acid?

Answer 20

Lactic acid

Question 21

Which product is made using yeast?
Yogurt, cheese or bread?

Answer 21

Bread

Question 22

What two products are the result of fermentation with yeast?

Answer 22

Ethanol and carbon dioxide

Question 23

Plants also have defences against pathogens. Name two physical defences a plant may have.

Answer 23

Thick bark, thorns and hairs, chemical defenses such as toxins or stings.

Question 24

How do vaccines protect us from infections?

Answer 24

Vaccines contain a dead or inactive form of a pathogen that causes an immune response resulting in the production of memory cells. The next time the live pathogen enters the body, the memory cells produce specific antibodies which can destroy it.