Communicable Disease Flashcards
What is a pathogen?
A microorganism (virus / bacteria / protist / fungi) that causes disease
How are pathogens spread and how can they be prevented from spreading?
Spread:
- direct contact
- air
- contaminated food / water
Prevented from spreading
- quarantine
- vaccinations
- improve hygiene
- killing vectors
How are pathogens spread in the air?
- coughing or sneezing
Why would we feel ill with a bacterial infection?
Bacteria may produce toxins which damage internal tissue
What is a protist?
- a eukaryotic parasite which is often transported by vectors
How can vectors be killed?
- insecticides
- destroying habitats
How does fungi spread?
Hyphe:
- string like structure which grows over plants and can penetrate skin
Spores
What is rose black spot an example of, what is it, how is it spread, and how can it be treated?
- example of fungi
- causes purple and black spots to form on leaves or for leaves to turn yellow and drop off
- this reduces plants ability to photosynthesise and grow
- spreads by water and wind
- can be treated by chopping off infected leaves and spraying with fungicide
How do viral infections make the human body feel ill?
- virus’s are extremely small in comparison to cells and cant reproduce by themselves
- once a virus is inside another cell it can use the cells machinery to replicate itself
- once replicated itself many times, can burst the cell and repeat the process with other cells
- bursting the cells damages our bodies
What are the three main examples of viral infections?
- Measles
- HIV
- tobacco mosaic virus
What are the symptoms of measles, and how is it spread and why is it rare?
- caught by coughs and sneezes (air)
- causes red rash, fever, can be fatal
- uncommon as most vaccinated young
What is tobacco mosaic virus, what does it effect?
- discolourated patches in a mosaic pattern on tomato and tobacco plant leaves
- limits photosynthesis which limits plants growth
How is HIV transmitted, what are the symptoms, what does it lead to?
- caused by sexual contact or sharing blood
- initially flu like symptoms ( fever, aches) but then stops
- internally, HIV weakens immune system which is called AIDS
What is salmonella and what are its symptoms?
- bacterial infection caught by chicken when it was alive
- causes fever, vommiting, cramps and diarrhoea
What is Gonorrhoea and what are its symtoms?
-bacterial infection passed on through sexual contact
- pain when urinating
- thick yellow/ green discharge
