infection and response Flashcards
What are pathogens?
disease causing microorganisms
communicable disease
diseses that can spread from person to person. caused by bacteria, viruses fungi and parasites.
bacteria do bacteria cause disease
very small cells which can rapidly reproduce when inside your body. They release toxins which damage you cells and make you fell ill.
how do viruses cause disease?
they invade your cells and replicate themselves using cells machinery to make copies of themselves. they will cause cell to burst, realising all the new viruses. this cell damage makes you fell ill.
fungi
some are single celled, some have a body made up of hyphae. these hyphae can grow and penetrate human skin and the surface of plants causing disease. The hyphae can produce spores which can be spread to other animals/ plants.
3 ways disease can be spread?
- water - some pathogens can be picked up by drinking or bathing in dirty water.
- air - pathogens can be carried in air by droplets produces when coughing or sneezing.
- direct contact - some pathogens picked up by touching contaminated surfaces.
How can you reduce spread of pathogens?
hygiene - hand washing and using disinfectant.
reducing contact with infected individuals.
removing vectors
vaccination
what is measles
viral disease spread by droplets. people with measles develop skin rash and fever.
can be serious or even fatal(blindness + brain damage
most people vaccinated against it when young.
what is HIV?
- virus spread by unprotected sex or by exchanging bodily fluids such as blood.
- virus attacks the immune system until it can no longer function properly so cannot cope with other infections.
How can HIV be prevented?
-condoms
-not sharing needles
-bottle feeding by HIV positive mothers.
-screening of blood for transfusions
what is TMV?
-virus that affects many species of plant e.g tomatoes
- causes mosaic pattern on leaves of plant. parts of plant become discoloured.
-discolouration means plant can’t carry out photosynthesis so affects growth.
what is rose black spot?
-a fungus that causes black spots to develop on leaves of rose plants. leaves turn yellow + drop off.
- this means less photosynthesis can happen so plant doesn’t grow very well.
how can rose black spot be treated?
-fungicides
-stripping plants of infected leaves and destroying them so can’t spread to other rose plants.
what is salmonella?
- type of bacteria that causes food poisoning.
- infected people suffer with fever, stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.
-symptoms caused by toxins that bacteria produce.
how is salmonella spread?
by eating food that’s been contaminated with salmonella bacteria.
what is gonorrhoea and how is it spread\/
-sexually transmitted disease
-passed by sexual contact.
-caused by bacteria
-person with it will get pain when urinating and yellow or green discharge from vagina or penis.
how can gonorrhoea be treated?
- antibiotics, but some strains are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
how can gonorrhoea be prevented?
use barrier methods of contraception.
how does skin prevent pathogens entering the body?
-acts a physical barrier
- secretes antimicrobial substances which kill pathogens