Infectious diseases

Question 1

What causes infectious diseases?

Answer 1

Infectious diseases are caused by pathogens and are transmissible

Question 2

State the name and type. of pathogen that causes cholera

Answer 2

Vibrio cholerae
Bacterium

Question 3

State the name and type of pathogen that causes malaria

Answer 3

Plasmodium vivax/ovale/malariae/falciparum
Protoctist

Question 4

State the name and type of pathogen that causes tuberculosis

Answer 4

Mycobacterium tuberculosis/bovis
Bacteria

Question 5

State the name and type of pathogen that causes HIV/AIDS

Answer 5

Human immunodeficiency virus
Virus

Question 6

Transmission of cholera

Answer 6

The disease is water-borne and food borne. The disease occurs where people do not have access to proper sanitation and uncontaminated food. May be transmitted when people bath/drink contaminated water or eat food exposed to contaminated water

Question 7

Transmission of malaria

Answer 7

By an insect vector: 1) Female Anopheles mosquitoes feed on human blood to obtain protein they need to develop their eggs. 2) If the person they bite is infected with Plasmodium, the mosquito will take up some of the pathogen. 3) When feeding on the next human, plasmodium passes from the mosquito to the new humans blood.
From mother to child across the placenta and when unsterile needles are reused

Question 8

Transmission of TB

Answer 8

When infected people cough or sneeze, the mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria can enter the air in tiny droplets of liquid. TB is transmitted when uninfected people then inhale these droplets.
Mycobacterium bovis occurs in cattle is spread through contaminated meat and unpasteurised milk

Question 9

Transmission of HIV/AIDS

Answer 9

1) sexual intercourse
2) blood donation
3) sharing of needles by drug users
4) from mother to child across the placenta and through breast milk

Question 10

Prevention of cholera

Answer 10

1) Providing adequate sewage treatment infrastructure
2) Provision of clean piped water that has been chlorinated to kill bacteria
3) Vaccination programmes in areas where cholera is endemic

Question 11

Control of cholera

Answer 11

1) Using antibiotic in severe cases
2) Ready access to treatments

Question 12

Methods for reducing malaria

Answer 12

1) Reducing the number of anopheles mosquitoes
2) Reducing the chances of being bitten by these mosquitoes
3) Using drugs to prevent plasmodium from infecting humans

Question 13

How do we reduce the number of mosquitoes?

Answer 13

1) Spraying areas with insecticides
2) Draining unnecessary bodies of water
3) Spreading oil over the surfaces of water bodies

Question 14

Controlling malaria

Answer 14

1) Improving supply of effective drugs
2) Promoting appropriate methods to prevent transmission

Question 15

Prevention of TB

Answer 15

Use of the BCG vaccine
Ensuring meat is cooked properly and pasteurising milk

Question 16

Prevention of HIV

Answer 16

1) Condoms, femidoms and dentaldams should be used during sexul intercourse
2) Blood donations should be screened for HIV and heat treated to kill any viruses
3) Drug users are encouraged not to share needles

Question 17

Controlling HIV

Answer 17

1) Screening blood donations
2) Using anti-retroviral drugs
3) Educating the public