Communicable Diseases Flashcards
Characteristics of viruses?
Smaller than bacteria, non-living, invade cells and multiply inside causing them to burst
Characteristics of bacteria?
Larger, prokaryotic, don’t have membrane-bound organelles, produce toxins to make you feel ill
How do you stain bacteria?
Gram-positive looks purple-blue under a microscope and Gram-negative appears red
What is a parasite?
An organism that feeds off a host at their expense
Characteristics of fungi?
Eukaryotic, found on plants, makes plants unable to photosynthesise and digest food, kills the plant
Name all the plant diseases?
Ring rot, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Potato Blight, Black Sigatoka
Symptoms of ring rot?
Bacterial disease, Gram-positive, Effects the leaves, tubers and fruit, Destroys the crop and has no cure
Tobacco Mosaic Virus symptoms?
Viral infection, damages leaves making them look all discoloured, prevents photosynthesis, no cure, treat by cutting infected leaves, leads to crop loss
Potato blight?
Fungal infection, dark brown patches on leaves around edges going towards middle, remove infected plants, insecticides, prevent by cleaning equipment, spread plants far apart
Explain Black Sigatoka?
Fungal disease, turns leaves black, hyphae digests the cells, reduces crop yield, use fungicides to treat
Tuberculosis?
Bacterial disease, caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis, destroys the lung tissue and suppresses the immune system, take antibiotics to treat, spread by droplet inhalation
Explain bacterial meningitis?
Bacterial infection, effects the meninges of the brain, can spread to the rest of the body and causes blood poisoning, affects 15-19 year olds typically, a symptom is a red/purple rash appears once glass is pressed to skin, treated by antibiotics, can get vaccinated from it
HIV/AIDS?
Viral infection, destroys the immune system and makes people susceptible to other diseases, transmitted by exchange of bodily fluids, sharing needles and unprotected sex, use drugs to slow the process down, no cure or vaccine yet
Influenza?
Viral infection, targets ciliated epithelium cells involved in gas exchange, can be fatal, leaves always open for secondary infection, 3 strands of it (A, B and C) Can be prevented with vaccination, the virus can mutate
Malaria?
Protist, spread by mosquitoes as vectors, infects red blood cells, the liver and the brain, symptoms are like the flu, prevent spread by using mosquito nets
What type of mosquitoes spread malaria?
Anopheles (female mosquitoes)
What is ring worm?
Fungal disease, causes grey-white, crusty, infectious, circular areas on the skin, treated by anti fungal creams, spread by direct contact
Athlete’s foot?
Fungal disease, causes cracking, spread by contact on clothes or towels, treated with anti-fungal creams
What are the three types of direct contact?
Direct contact (kissing, STDs, skin), Inoculation (animal bite, break in skin), Ingestion (contaminated food)
Different types of indirect transmission?
Fomites (inanimate objects), Droplet inhalation and Vectors
Factors effecting transmission?
Overcrowding, Poor nutrition, Compromised immune system, Climate, Hygiene
Non-specific defenses of mammals?
HCL stomach acid, skin acting as a barrier, blood clotting, inflammatory response, mucus membranes, cilia, expulsive reflexes
Explain the inflammatory response?
Histamine (dilates blood, more leaky) and cytokines (attract phagocytes) are released. Red, high temps and swelling occurs
Explain how blood clots?
An enzyme cascade is triggered by thromboplastin making a blood clot. Serotonin is released constricting blood flow to area. Clot dries and toughens
