Infectious Diseases Flashcards
What is an infectious disease?
A disease that is spread from one living thing to another through the environment.
What does communicable mean?
AKA Contagious: capable of spreading from person to person.
What are the four NON-communicable diseases?
- Cancers
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Chronic respiratory diseases
What are microorganisms?
AKA Microbes: organisms so small they can only be seen through a microscope.
What are pathogens?
Microorganisms that cause disease.
What are the four types of infectious diseases?
- Bacteria
- Viruses
- Fungal Infections
- Protozoans
What is bacteria? Name one example.
A large group of single celled microorganisms.(example: food poisoning)
What is a virus? Name one example.
Smallest of the pathogens that is very simple. (example: common cold)
What are fungi? Name one example.
Organisms such as yeast & mold that grow in warm, dark, & moist areas. (example: athletes’ foot)
What are protozoans? Name one example.
Single-celled organisms that are larger & more complex than bacteria. (example: malaria)
What are four ways that pathogens are spread? Explain.
- Infected people: physical or indirect contact
- Infected animals: bites (rabies)
- Contaminated objects: doorknobs, cups, needles, etc.
- Contaminated food, soil, or water: salmonella bacteria,
e-coli, etc.
What are the four most common infectious bacterial diseases?
- Strep throat
- Lyme disease
- Bacterial meningitis
- Tuberculosis (TB)
What are the five most common infectious viral diseases?
- Common cold
- Influenza (flu)
- Pneumonia
- Covid-19
- Hepatitis (A, B, and C)
What is the treatment for infectious bacterial diseases?
Antibiotics
What is the treatment for infectious viral diseases?
Rest, a well-balanced diet, lots of water, & over-the-counter medicines.
What are the body’s 3 lines of defense against disease?
- Physical & Chemical Defenses: skin, saliva, tears, mucus, cilia.
- Inflammation: the body’s general response to all kinds of injury.
- Immune System: fights disease by producing a separate set of weapons for each kind of pathogen it faces.
What are Lymphocytes?
White blood cells that carry out most of the immune systems functions.
What is immunity?
Your body’s ability to destroy pathogens.
What are the two types of lymphocytes?
- T cells
- B cells
What do killer T cells do?
They destroy any body cell that has been infected.
What do helper T cells do?
Produce chemicals that stimulate T cells and B cells to fight infection.
What do suppressor T cells do?
Produce chemicals that “turn off” other immune system cells when infection is under control.
What do T cells do?
They help the immune system “remember” pathogens (immunity).
What do B cells do?
Produce antibodies (proteins that attach to pathogens or the toxins produced by pathogens).
What is the Lymphatic System?
A network of vessels that collects fluid from your tissues and returns it to the bloodstream (most of your immune system is here).
What are immunizations?
Injections by which an individual’s immune system becomes fortified against an infectious agent.
What are in vaccines?
Small amounts of dead or modified pathogens or their toxins (stimulate against disease)
What are the five best ways to prevent infectious diseases?
- Don’t share personal items
- Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
- Wash hands
- Get vaccinated
- Practice safe sex
What are STDs or STIs?
Sexually transmitted diseases are infectious diseases spread from person to person mostly through sexual contact.
What is an epidemic?
occurrences of diseases in which many people in the same place at the same time are affected.
How many people around the world live with some sort of STD?
500 million (epidemic)
What are the short term consequences of STDs?
Pain, discomfort, and embarrassment
What are the long term consequences of STDs?
Risk of certain cancers, increased risk of infertility. 1 million new cases per day with 1/4 of those in the USA alone.
What is the treatment for STDs?
Most can be treated with medicines but some are incurable.
What are two reasons that many STDs go undiagnosed and untreated?
- Many STDs are asymptomatic (no symptoms).
- People don’t report the disease to the health department.
What are four reasons that teens have a higher risk of getting STDs?
- Ignore risks
- Being sexually active with more than one person
- Highly sexually active/engaging in either unprotected or protected sex (nothing protects you 100%)
- Do NOT seek treatment
What is abstinence?
The deliberate decision to avoid harmful behavior, including sexual activity before marriage and the use of tobacco and drugs.
What are the four benefits of premarital abstinence?
- In most cases you will not get STDs
- No unplanned pregnancy
- Healthier relationships
- It’s God’s plan
What are 7 common STDs?
- HSV 1: cold sores or oral herpes
- HSV 2: Genital herpes
- HPV: Human papilloma virus
- Chlamydia
- Gonorrhea
- Syphilis
- HIV
What is HPV?
Human papilloma virus is a virus that causes genital warts or asymptomatic symptoms (30 types-no sure).
What is chlamydia?
A bacterial infection that affects the reproductive organs in both men and women (asymptomatic)
What is gonorrhea?
A bacterial STD that usually affects mucous membranes.
What is syphils?
An STD that attacks many parts of the body and is caused by a small bacterium called spirochete.
What is HIV?
A virus that attacks the immune system (leads to AIDS if not treated).
What is AIDS?
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome: a disease in which the immune system of the person is weakened.
What are three ways to get AIDS?
- Sexual contact
- Passed from mother to unborn child
- Blood transfusions (RARE)
What is the treatment for AIDS?
Medicines to sow it down, but there is currently no cure.
