Communicable diseases Flashcards
What’s the definition of a communicable disease?
A disease that is spread between organisms
What’s a blood clot?
A mesh of protein fibres
What’s an immune response?
The body’s reaction to a foreign antigen
What do neutrophils do?
White blood cells that respond to a pathogen
Involved in phagocytosis
What do T regulatory cells do?
Suppress the immune response to prevent autoimmune disease
What do T killer cells do?
Attach to and kill cells infected with a virus
What are interleukins?
Type of cytokine (cell-signalling molecule) that binds to B lymphocytes to activate it
What bonds hold the chains together in an antibody?
Disulphide
How many antigens can an antibody bind to at one time?
2
What are anti-toxins?
Antibodies that bind to toxins produced by pathogens and neutralise them
Why’s the primary response slow?
There aren’t many B lymphocytes that can make the antibody needed to bind to the pathogen
What do memory T cells remember?
The specific antigen (so can bind to it next time)
What do memory B cells remember?
The specific antibody (needed to bind to the antigen)
How can immunity be maintained?
Continually exposing the person to a pathogen so more memory T and B cells are made e.g., vaccine booster
What’s active immunity?
When your immune system makes its own antibodies after being stimulated by an antigen
What’s passive immunity?
When you get given antibodies made by a different organism
What’s active NATURAL immunity?
Become immune after catching a disease
What’s active ARTIFICIAL immunity?
Become immune after being given a vaccination containing a harmless dose of antigen
What’s passive NATURAL immunity?
Baby becomes immune due to antibodies it receives from its mother through placenta & in breast milk
What’s passive ARTIFICIAL immunity?
Become immune after being injected with antibodies from someone else
What are attenuated viruses?
Viruses that have been genetically/chemically modified so they can’t produce toxins or attach to/ infect host cells
What are strains?
Pathogens of the same type having different surface antigens
What are antibiotics?
Chemicals that kill/ inhibit growth of bacteria
What is synthetic biology?
The use of technology to design and make things e.g., artificial proteins, cells & microorganisms
