Communicable Diseases

Question 1

give some examples of communicable disease

Answer 1

chicken pox
common cold
malaria
HIV/AIDS

Question 2

what are the 4 types of pathogens?

Answer 2

viruses
bacteria
fungi
protists

Question 3

how can pathogens enter your body and give some examples of what diseases they cause?

Answer 3

droplet infection such as a cough or sneeze or talkout droplets that you breathe in (influenza, tubercolosis, common cold)
direct contect such as touching a persons skin (impetigo, some STD’s)
contaminated food and drink for example eating raw food or water that has been contaminated with sewage (diarrhea, salmonellosis, cholera)
through a break in the skin such as a needle puncture, cut or scratch (HIV/AIDS, hepatitis)

Question 4

how can you reduce the spread of communicable diseases?

Answer 4

-simple hygiene measures such as washing your hands, using tissues, disinfectant and storing meat safely

-destroying vectors (vectors are organisms thar carry diseases e.g. mosquitos carry malaria)

-isolating the infected as it reduces contact with healthy people and is used when a highly contagious and dangerous

-vaccinations with prevents prevents disease by introducing a small amount of the dead or harmless pathogen so the immune system knows how to destroy it

Question 5

which is larger bacteria or viruses?

Answer 5

bacteria

Question 6

describe bacteria

Answer 6

-bacteria are living cells and some are harmless
-they are affected by antibiotics
-they release toxins (poisons) that damage tissues making us feel ill
-they grow very quickly
-example: food poisoning, tetanus, sore throats

Question 7

describe viruses

Answer 7

-genetic info is inside a protein coat they then inject this genetic information into our cells
-they live and reproduce inside other living cells (damaging them) so the antibiotics dont affect them as they cant reach the virus
-examples: colds, flus, polio, chicken pox