Diseases Flashcards
4 types of pathogens
bacteria, fungi, protoctista, viruses
How can you classify bacteria by their cell walls?
Gram staining
There are gram positive bacteria and gram negative bacteria
What is the basic structure of a virus?
genetic material surrounded by protein
What are viruses called which attack bacteria?
bacteriophages
Which type of pathogen is a saprotroph?
fungi
What are the two methods of pathogens damaging tissues?
damaging the host directly- viruses, some protoctista and some fungi
producing toxins which damages the host- bacteria and some fungi
What is ring rot caused by?
gram positive bacteria disease in potatoes, tomatoes and aubergines
What virus is in plants?
Tobacco mosaic virus
What is potato blight caused by?
fungus like protoctist
What causes Black sigatoka?
fungus in bananas
What causes tuberculosis?
mycobacterium tuberculosis
damages the lung tissue and suppresses the immune system
Is TB curable and how do you prevent it?
yes it is curable by antibiotics
preventable by improving living standards and vaccinations
where is the bacterial infection in meningitis?
meninges of the brain
Is meningitis curable and how do you prevent it?
Antibiotics will cure it if caught early enough
Vaccines can protect against some forms only
What causes AIDS?
HIV - human immunodeficiency virus
What cells does HIV attack?
T helper cells
What type of virus is HIV?
retrovirus - RNA is its genetic material
Where does the virus of flu locate in the body?
ciliated epithelial cells-kills them
What is malaria caused by?
Protoctista- Plasmodium
What are the two hosts for Plasmodium?
Anopheles mosquitos and humans
What is the lifecycle of a Plasmodium?
reproduce inside female mosquitos
Mosquito has to take 2 blood meals before it lays it’s eggs which is when it is passed to humans via the saliva. It invades red blood cells, liver cells and the brain
How can you control the vector of malaria?
insecticides, remove standing water, nets, door screens, and long sleeve clothing
What is ringworm and athletes foot caused by?
fungus
What are the types of direct transmission of pathogens?
direct contact
inoculation
ingestion
What are the types of indirect transmission of pathogens?
fomites (inanimate objects)
Droplet infection- inhalation
vectors
What are factors which affect the transmission of communicable diseases in animals?
overcrowding, poor nutrition, compromised immune system, climate change, culture and infrastructure, lack of education
What are the methods of transmission of pathogens in plants?
soil contamination, or vectors e.g wind, water, animals
