Infection + Response Flashcards
Define disease.
an illness or disorder of the body or mind that leads to poor health
Define communicable disease.
Disease caused by a pathogen that passes from infected individuals to uninfected individuals
Define pathogen and give examples.
A microorganism that causes disease like bacteria/viruses/protists/fungi
How can transmission of pathogens occur?
Air, Water, Direct contact
How do viruses reproduce?
Viruses reproduce rapidly by inserting their genetic material into host cells.
Once many copies have been made, the host cell may burst open releasing the viral particles which can go on to infect other cells
Give examples of viruses.
Measles, HIV and Tobacco mosaic viruses
What are the symptoms of measles and how can they spread and treatment?
Symptoms: Fever, Red rashes…. sometimes: brain damage/blindness
Spread by: Inhalation of cough/sneeze droplets
To treatment
What are the symptoms of HIV and how can they spread and treatment?
Symptoms: Flu-like symptoms, can develop to make the immune system so weak that it can’t fight any other disease (AIDS).
Spread by: Sexually or exchange of bodily fluids.
Treatment: No treatment
What are the symptoms of TMV and how can they spread and treatment?
Symptoms: Discoloration of leaves (affects chloroplasts), won’t grow bc no light caught for photosynthesis.
Spread by: Direct contact
How do bacteria cause damage?
Bacterial pathogens produce toxins that cause damage to cells and tissues directly
What are the examples of bacteria?
Salmonella, gonorrhea
What are the symptoms of salmonella and how can they spread and treatment?
Symptoms: Abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever and vomiting.
Spread by: by bacteria ingested in food, or on food prepared in unhygienic conditions
Treatment: Poultry vaccinated against it, proper hygiene.
What are the symptoms of gonorrhea and how can they spread and treatment?
Symptoms: thick yellow discharge from penis/vagina, pain when urinating
Spread by: sexual contact
Treatment: Antibiotics but now there are antibiotic resistant strands, barrier methods
What are examples of fungi?
Rose black spot, athletes foot
What are the symptoms of Rose black spot and how can it spread and treatment?
Symptoms: Purple/black spots on leaves, leaves drop.
Treatment: spores carried by wind/water
What are the symptoms of malaria and how can they spread and treatment?
Symptoms: Reoccurring episodes of fevers.
Spread by: Mosquitos biting infected person, malaria passes into mosquito, bites another person and they get infected (vector)
Treatment:
prevented by draining area of still water so mosquitoes don’t breed, using insecticides, sleeping under mosquito net.
What are examples of non-specific defense systems?
The skin- protective layer (dead cells) which pathogen can’t penetrate. and sebum, pathogens can’t enter, forms scabs
The nose- has mucus and hair, trapping pathogens
The trachea and bronchi- cillia covered in mucus, which wafts into throat so its swallowed into stomach
The stomach- acid kills bacteria
What is the job of the non-specific defense systems?
To prevent pathogens from entering the body
What is the job of the immune system?
after the pathogen has entered the body, the immune system prevents the infectious organism from reproducing and destroys it
How do white blood cells defend against the pathogen?
Phagocytosis
Production of antibodies
Production of antitoxins
Describe how phagocytosis can fight against pathogens.
WBC detects chemicals released from pathogen
Moves towards it
WBC ingests it, uses enzymes to destroy it
Describe how production of antibodies can fight against pathogens.
Antibodies bind to pathogen and destroy, they are extremely specific
They also remain in the blood for a long time, so they can protect us in case of infection again
Describe how production of antitoxins can fight against pathogens.
Some bacteria produce toxins, antitoxins stick to toxins and prevent then from damaging cells
What is a vaccine?
Injecting small quantities of inactive forms of a pathogen into the body and WBCs detect the antigen
