communicable disease Flashcards
What are pathogens?
Microorganisms that enter the body and cause disease.
What types of diseases do pathogens cause?
Communicable (infectious) diseases.
Can both plants and animals be infected by pathogens?
Yes.
How small are bacteria compared to body cells?
About 1/100th the size of body cells.
How do bacteria make you feel ill?
By producing toxins that damage your cells and tissues.
What are viruses?
Tiny microorganisms that are not cells and are about 1/100th the size of a bacterium.
How do viruses replicate inside the body?
They live inside body cells and use the cells’ machinery to produce many copies of themselves.
What happens to the cell after a virus replicates inside it?
The cell usually bursts, releasing new viruses.
What are protists?
Single-celled eukaryotes.
How can some protists cause damage to organisms?
As parasites that live on or inside other organisms.
What is a vector in the context of protists?
An organism that transfers the protist to another organism without getting the disease itself.
How do fungi come in different shapes?
Some are single-celled while others have bodies made up of hyphae.
What are hyphae?
Thread-like structures that can grow and penetrate human skin and plant surfaces.
How do hyphae contribute to the spread of fungi?
They can produce spores that are spread to other plants and animals.
How can pathogens be spread through water?
By drinking or bathing in dirty water.
Give an example of a bacterial infection spread by water.
Cholera.
How can pathogens be spread through the air?
Carried in droplets produced when a person coughs or sneezes.
Which virus is commonly spread through the air?
Influenza virus.
How can pathogens be spread through direct contact?
By touching contaminated surfaces or skin.
Give an example of a fungus spread by direct contact.
Athlete’s foot.
Fill in the blank: Pathogens can be spread in different ways, including _______.
[water, air, direct contact]
True or False: Viruses are larger than bacteria.
False.
What is the primary consequence of cell damage caused by viruses?
Feeling ill.
