Diseases, Pathogens and Immune System (Test Revision) Flashcards
What is a disease?
A change to an organism that negatively impacts on the functioning of that organism.
How many types of disease are there?
2; infectious and non infectious diseases.
Explain the difference between infectious and non infectious disease.
Infectious diseases are transmitted from between people through the transfer of a pathogens and a non infectious disease isn’t.
What is a non infectious disease and give some examples?
A non infectious disease cannot be transmitted through a pathogen and is caused by a variety of other factors such as genetics, ageing and environmental factors.
Some examples of a non infectious disease are cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy.
What is an infectious disease and give some examples?
Infectious disease are transmitted from person to person through the transfer of a pathogen.
Some examples of infectious diseases include the flu, cold and the chickenpox.
What are the four main categories of non infectious diseases?
- Genetic
- Cancer
- Ageing
- Nutritional
What is cancer?
Characterised by abnormal rapid cell growth due to a mutation.
What are some risk factors of cancer?
- Age
- Hormones
- UV radiation exposure
- Smoking
What is a pathogen?
Pathogens are disease causing organisms.
What are the five types of pathogens?
- Bacteria (causes food poisoning)
- Viruses (causes colds)
- Fungi (causes athletes foot)
- Protists (causes gastro)
- Parasites (tape worms)
- Prion
What are the three shapes of bacteria?
- Rod
- Spherical
- Spiral
What is a virus?
Non-living infective particle that reproduces by taking advantage of a host.
what is a parasite?
A parasite is an organism that lives on or in another organism, (their host).
What methods of disease transmission exist?
- Direct contact
- Droplet infection
- Faeces
- Animals
- Body fluids
What are methods of disease control?
- Controlling or killing vectors (sanitation, barriers and traps, insecticides)
- Killing pathogens (antibiotics, antiseptic, disinfectants)
- Quarantine (keeping the affected away from the non-infected)
- Immune response (defence mechanisms that help to protect people)