Immune System Summative Flashcards
Why would it be important for epidemiologists, scientists who study the spread of disease, to determine patient zero?
- Discover symptoms
- Determine initial contraction
- Effects of diet/lifestyle
- Who is at risk?
Six Types of Infectious Diseases
- Bacteria
- Virus
- Fungus
- Protozoan
- Helminth
- Prion
Bacteria - What is it, where does it grow and where does it live?
- Single Cell Organism
- Grows in or out of a host
- Typically living in soil, water, organic matter, or the body of plants/animals
Virus - What is it, what does it do and where does it grow?
- Protein containing genetic material
- Capable of altering a living cell
- Grows and multiplies inside a host
Fungus - What is it and where does it live?
- Live on dead or decaying matter
- Range from mold, mushrooms, and are eukaryotic/parasitic
Protozoan - What is it and where does it live?
- Single cell
- Found in contaminated water
Helminth - What is it?
Parasitic Worm
Prion - What is it and what does it do?
- Abnormal protein
- Affects protein structure in mammals, typically found in the brain.
How are infectious diseases spread throughout the population? (4)
- Direct - Exchange fluids, kissing, etc.
- Indirect - Coughing/Sneezing, sharing food etc.
- Contaminated food/water
- Insect and animal bites
Transmission
The way a pathogen moves from one host to another.
How do you prevent transmission? (4)
- Practice good hygiene
- Being aware of environmental risks
- Vaccinations
- Completing and antibiotic prescription
Why is it useful for epidemiologists, scientists who study disease, to categorize diseases based on different factors, such as modes of transmission? (2)
- To prevent the spread
2. To determine treatments
How can an unknown sample of bacteria be identified? (2)
- Grow it
2. Aseptically streak and plate/incubate it
Microbiology
A branch of biology dealing with microscopic orbs of life.
Why do microbiologists need to isolate bacterial colonies from a specimen?
To dilute the sample down to individual colonies to analyze colony morphology. (color, elevation, size, margins)
Aseptic technique
A procedure performed under sterile conditions.
What is the purpose of Aseptic technique? (2)
- prevent the spread of your sample
2. prevent cross contamination
Shapes of Bacterial Colonies: Bacillus, Coccus and Spirillum?
Bacillus: Rod Shaped
Coccus: Spherical
Spirillum: Spiral
Gram Stain
Divides bacteria into two broad categories based on their peptidoglycan layer. (Know functions of crystal violet dye, iodine, alcohol, and safranin)
Why are the results of a gram stain taken from a patient important?
To determine which antibiotic to prescribe.
Bacteria Structures (7)
Flagella, pili, capsule, cell wall, ribosomes, cell membrane and nucleoid.
How do biochemical tests help identify an unknown bacterial sample?
With specific characteristics such as motility and reaction to different indicators.
Immunity
Resistance to a disease.
T Lymphocyte (T cells)
Produced in the bone marrow: Divides into helper and killer T cells - specific defense.
B Lymphocyte (B cells)
Produced in bone marrow, specific and divides into plasma B cells and memory B cells.
Antibody
“Y” shaped protein produced by plasma B cells that attack a specific antigen.
Phagocyte
A white blood cell that engulfs foreign material.
How does the immune system function to protect the human body from foreign invaders? Include the following: Virus, Phagocyte, Antigen, Helper T Cell, Killer T Cell, Plasma B Cell, Memory B Cell and Antibody
Phagocyte eats the invader and gets covered in antigens, which signal killer T cells to attack the infected cells. The memory B cells remember the antigen and create antibodies. The helper T cells then inform the B cells and they are split into plasma and memory B cells, which further defend against the invaders more effectively with plenty of build up antibodies.
