Chapter 10 - Protection Against Invaders Flashcards
What are pathogens?
Disease causing organisms
What are communicable diseases?
Diseases that are caused by foreign organisms invading the body and multiplying there
What does contagious mean?
Diseases are passed on by direct or indirect contact with a person suffering from the disease
What are vectors?
Intermediate hosts of pathogens
What are some examples of vectors?
- fleas
- mosquitoes
- ticks
- flys
What do external defences do?
Stop pathogens from entering the body
What are the most common types of pathogens?
Bacteria and viruses
What are the characteristics of bacteria?
- many bacteria are essential to life
- some bacteria are used in industrial processes
- huge numbers of bacteria live on our skins, in our alimentary canal and in other parts of the body
- bacteria all consist of a single cell and can only be seen with a microscope
What does a bacteria cell consist of?
- flagella
- slime layer
- cell wall
- cell membrane
- cytoplasm
- ribosomes
- DNA
What are the types of bacteria?
- cocci
- bacilli
- spirilla
- vibrio
What are cocci?
Spherical cells that may occur singularly, in pairs (diplodocus), in clusters (staphylococci) or in chains (streptococci)
What is the singular of cocci?
Coccolith
What are bacilli?
Rod-shaped cells that may have flagella for movement.
What is the singular of bacilli?
Bacillus
What are spirilla?
Twisted cells
What is the singular of spirilla?
Spirillum
What are vibrio?
Curved rods, often shaped like a comma
What genetic material do viruses contain?
DNA or RNA
What do viruses do when they infect a living cell?
It’s DNA or RNA induces the cell to produce more virus particles
What are bacteriophages?
Viruses that multiply in bacterial cells, killing the bacteria
What are the different ways a disease can be transmitted?
- transmission by contact
- transfer of body fluids
- infection by droplets
- ingestion
- airborne transmission
- transmission by vectors
What is transmission by contact?
The spread of a pathogen by contact, direct of indirect.
What is transfer of body fluids?
When blood or other body fluids from an infected person come in contact with mucous membranes of the bloodstream of an uninfected person.
What is infection by droplets?
Occurs when tiny droplets of moisture are emitted when breathing, talking, sneezing or coughing.
What is ingestion of pathogens?
When food or drink ingested are contaminated with pathogens
What is airborne transmission?
Occurs when moisture in exhaled droplets evaporates, viruses and some bacteria remain viable and can cause infection if inhaled.
What is transmission by vectors?
The transfer of pathogens by other animals, such as ticks, fleas of mosquitoes. Can be direct of indirect (food, flies)