Disease Flashcards
What are communicable diseases?
Diseases that spread easily.
What causes communicable diseases?
Pathogens entering the body.
What is a pathogen? Give the four types
A microorganism that causes disease. Virus, bacteria, protist, fungi.
How can pathogens spread?
WATER- for example cholera is spread by drinking water contaminated with diarrhoea
AIR- water droplets that produced when you cough or sneeze are carried through the air and then breathed in.
DIRECT CONTACT- some pathogens can be passed of through the contact of a contaminated surface, includiong skin
How can we reduce the spread of pathogens?
Being hygienic- eg. washing your hands regularly especially before preparing food and after you’ve sneezed.
Destroying vectors- eg. vectors that are insects can be killed using insecticides.
Isolation infected individuals- this prevents them from passing the communicable disease onto another person.
Vaccination- this means that they can’t develop the infection and then pass it on to someone else.
How do bacteria cells make you feel ill?
They produce toxins that damage your cells and tissues
How can we treat bacterial diseases? Why is there a problem with using this method?
Antibiotics. Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics by mutating.
What is salmonella?
A type of bacteria that causes food poisoning.
How is salmonella caused?
By eating food that’s contaminated with the salmonella bacteria. In the UK most poultry is given a vaccination to prevent Salmonella and control the spread of this disease.
What are the symptoms of salmonella?
Fever
Stomach cramps
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
What is gonorrhoea?
A sexually transmitted disease
How is gonorrhoea caused?
By bacteria and spread by sexual contact eg. having unprotected sex
What are the symptoms or gonorrhoea?
Pain when urinating
Thick yellow or green discharge from the penis or vagina
How to viruses make you feel ill?
They enter body cells, reproduce rapidly and cause the cell to burst.
Why can’t antibiotics be used to treat viral infections?
Antibiotics kill bacteria but cannot kill the virus without killing the body cell.
What is measles?
A viral disease
How is measles caused?
It is spread by droplets from an infected person’s sneeze or cough
What are the symptoms of measles?
Fever
Red skin rash
What is HIV?
A virus spread by sexual contact
How is HIV caused?
The exchange of bodily fluidssuch as blood. It happens when people share needles when taking drugs.
What are the symptoms of HIV?
Initially, flu-like.
What is tobacco mosaic virus?
A virus that affects many species of plants e.g. tomatoes
What are the symptoms of TMV?
A mosaic pattern on the leaves
Parts of leaves become discoloured
Give an example of a fungal disease in plants
Rose black spot