GCSE Infection and Response Flashcards
What is a pathogen?
A harmful microorganism that can pass communicable diseases through organisms
Define ‘communicable’
A disease that can be passed from one organism to another
Define ‘infectious’
A pathogen that is highly transmittable
What are the four types of pathogen?
Virus, bacteria, fungi, protist
What is a virus made up of?
Nucleus acid and protein coat
What are bacterium made up of?
Nucleoid cell wall, cytoplasm and cell membrane
What are protists made up of?
Cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, mitochondria, cytoplasm
What are fungi made up of?
Cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, mitochondria, cytoplasm
List some modes of transmission
Inhalation of droplets, contact of bodily fluids, food, water, vectors (insects))
What does a primary defense do?
Prevents the movement of pathogens into the bloodstream. It targets all pathogens
List primary defenses
Mucus membrane, eyes (lyzoenzymes), stomach acid, playlets, skin
What do phagocytes do?
Engulfs pathogens through phagocytosis
What do lymphocytes do?
Produces antibodies to fit to antigens and stick them together for phagocytosis
How do white blood cells know what to attack?
They identify antigens as self or foreign
Define vaccination
A substance that is used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against an infectious disease. It kick-starts the primary immune response
Give three ways antibiotics can kill bacteria
Distrusting cell wall synthesis, protein synthesis and the way DNA is replicated
How does antibiotic resistance occur?
Misuse of antibiotics causing only mutated resistant bacteria to survive and spread, becoming the dominant strain of the bacterium
What is MRSA?
A strain of S. aureus that has become resistant to certain antibiotics
Name three antibiotics MRSA is resistant to
Methicillin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin
What makes a good medicine?
Must be effective, safe and stable
Define placebo
A replica medicine
Define blind trial
A trial where the patient doesn’t know if they’re getting the real drug or not
Define double blind trial
A trial where neither the patient nor the doctor knows whether they’re getting the real drug or not
What is a monoclonal antibody?
Identical antibodies made from mouse spleen cells and myeloma (cancer) cells
