Chapter 18 Flashcards
Communicable disease
Disease that can be passed to a person from another person, animal, or object.
Pathogens
Disease-causing organisms that are so small they can only be seen through a microscope.
Infection
A condition that occurs when pathogens enter the body, multiply, and cause harm.
Viruses
The smallest pathogens
Bacteria
Tiny one cell organisms
Fungi
Organisms that are more complex than bacteria but cannot make their own food.
Protozoa
One celled organisms that are more complex than bacteria.
Vector
An organism, such as an insect, that transmits pathogens
Hygiene
Cleanliness
Immune system
A combination of body defenses made up of the cells, tissues, and organs that fight off pathogens and disease.
Immunity
Your body’s ability to resist the germs that cause a particular disease
Inflammation
The body’s response to injury or disease, resulting in a condition of swelling, pain, heat, and redness
Lymphatic system
A secondary circulatory system that helps the body fight pathogens and maintains its fluid balance
Lymphocytes
The white blood cells in the lymphatic system
Antigens
Any substance released by invading pathogens