Communicable disease and drugs Flashcards
What’s in a vaccine?
Small amount of dead or inactive pathogens
What part of a pathogen stimulates the white blood cells?
The antigens
How do vaccines help when you are exposed to the fully active pathogen in the future?
They allow your body to produce more antibodies and faster
What is herd immunity?
When a large proportion of the population is immune to a pathogen so the spread of the pathogen is reduced
How were drug made in the past?
From plants or microorganisms
What was an early example of painkillers?
Chewing on a beaver tail because the glands contain chemicals from the willow tree
What were foxgloves used for?
Digitalis to strengthen the heart for people with heart problems
Where was aspirin found?
In willow trees
Where was penicillin found?
In the mushroom penicillium
What are the 3 things drugs are tested for?
Toxicity: how poisonous it is
Efficacy: how useful it is
Dosage: how much of the drug you need
How are most drugs made now?
Synthesized in a lab using chemicals
What is the name of the fruit which was widely used for infections in tribes?
‘Noni Fruit’
What are the stages of drug testing?
Pre-Clinical: tested on cells, tissues and live animals
Clinical: Low dose and then high dose on humans
Double blind test: testing for the effectiveness and placebo effect
What is the double blind test?
Some people are given the real drug and some given a fake drug and tested on them. A statistician then determines the effectiveness of the drug based on the reactions
What is a lymphocyte?
A white blood cell
What is a hybridoma cell?
A combined lymphocyte and tumour cell which can survive long periods in culture
What is a monoclonal antibody?
Clones of a bodies antibodies that are made in labs which are used to stimulate your immune system
How do monoclonal antibodies help with pregnancy tests?
they bind to the hormones that are produced in the early stages in pregnancy. This allows the test to change colour based on whether traces of the hormone are found in the urine
How do monoclonal antibodies help with pregnancy tests?
they bind to the hormones that are produced in the early stages in pregnancy. This allows the test to change colour based on whether traces of the hormone are found in the urine
What are 4 uses of monoclonal antibodies?
Pregnancy tests
Identifying tissues with dyes
Treating cancer and other disease
Measuring hormone levels
How are MAbs used in pregnancy tests?
If HGC is present in the urine it will bind to the antibody which contains a dye to indicate positive tests
How are MAbs used to treat cancer?
The antibody can be bound to a radioactive substance, a toxic drug or a chemical to stop cells growing and dividing
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using MAbs to treat cancer?
Advantages: only binds to the cells which need treatment so healthy cells are not affected
Disadvantages: currently some harmful side effects
What is the spread and symptoms of measles?
spread: inhaling droplets from an infected persons sneeze or cough
symptoms: fever , red skin rash
