Communicable diseases Flashcards
What is meant by communcable disease?
A contagious disease that can be spread from one person to another
What causes disease?
Pathogens
Name the four types of pathogen
Bacteria
Fungi
Virus
Protist
What do bacteria do?
Reproduce rapidly inside the body
Produce toxins that damage tissues and make us feel ill
What do viruses do?
Live inside cells and reproduce rapidly causing cell damage
Name three types of viruses
Measles
HIV
Tobacco Moasaic Virus
Name some symptoms of Measles
Fever
Red skin rash
What are some complications of untreated Measles
Pneumonia
Encephalitis (brain disease)
How is the Measles Virus treated
Most people are vaccinated against measles when they are young
How does the Measles virus spread?
Through the inhilations of droplets from sneezes and coughs of an infected person
How is HIV spread?
Sexual contact
Exchange of bodily fluids e.g blood when drug users share needles
What are the symptoms of HIV
It initially causes a flu-like ilness
What does HIV do to the body?
The virus reproduces rapidly inside the cells in the immune system, causing damage to them
How is HIV controlled?
Antiretroviral drugs can be taken
These stop the virus from replicating in the body
What is another name for Late Stage HIV?
AIDS
When does AIDS occur
(late stage HIV)?
When the body’s immune system is so bdly damaged that it can no longer deal with infections and cancers
What is Tobacco Mosaic Virus
A widespread plant pathogen that affects many species of plant, includng tomatoes
What are the symptoms of Tobacco Mosaic Virus
The virus gives a distinct ‘mosaic’ pattern of discolouration on the leaves
This discolouration means that the plant cabbot carry out photosynthese effectively- this affects its growth
Name the three ways that pathogens are spread
Water
Air
Direct Contact
Name two types of bacteria
Salmonella
Gonorrhoea
What are the symptoms of salmonella?
Fever
Abdominal cramps
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
these are caused by the bacteria and the toxins they secrete
How is salmonella spread?
Bacteria is ingested in food
Food is prepared in unhygienic conditions
How is salmonella treated?
In the UK, poultry are vaccinated against Salmonella to controll the spread
