Communicable Diseases Flashcards
What is a communicable disease?
spread from one person to another through but is curable
What is a pathogen?
They are microorganisms that enter the body and cause diseases
Who/what can be affected by pathogens?
Plants, animals and humans
What is bacteria?
They are very small cells which can produce rapidly inside your body.
What can bacteria do to you?
They can make you feel ill by producing toxins that damage your cells and tissues.
What are viruses?
They can reproduce bacteria rapidly in your body and are very small.
What do viruses do?
They live inside your cells
Replicate themselves using cells machinery
The cell usually then bursts releasing the new viruses
What are protists?
They are single celled eukaryotes
What are parasites?
They live in or on other organisms and can cause them damage.
Often transferred by a vector which doesn’t get the disease itself.
Pathogens transferred by water…
Drinking or bathing in dirty water, i.e. cholera
Pathogens spread in the air…
When you breathe in
Some pathogens are carried in droplets in the air when you sneeze or cough. I.e. influenza virus
Pathogens through direct contact like…
Touching contaminated surfaces including skin. I.e. athletes foot makes your feet itch and flake off.
