Infectious Diseases Flashcards
What is the most common pathogen type to cause illness in humans?
Viruses
What type of pathogen is most likely to cause infections in those with an inadequate immune response?
Fungi
Name a protist that causes infectious disease.
Giardia or Malaria
Give examples of infectious diseases.
Measles, Mumps, Pneumonia, Chickenpox, HIV & AIDS
What is the specific defense mechanism of the skin?
Keratinized cells of the surface, Langerhans cells
How do sweat glands and sebaceous glands contribute to physical defense?
Low pH and washing action
What does lysozyme do in the oral cavity?
Degrades and breaks down pathogens
What protects the gastrointestinal tract?
Low pH, mucosal epithelium, and mucosal tissues
What happens if physical barriers are breached by a pathogen?
Phagocytes and immune cells initiate the inflammation process
Name three types of phagocytic immune cells.
Neutrophils, Macrophages, Basophils
What is active immunity?
Immunity that develops naturally after infection or through vaccination
How do vaccines work?
Vaccines induce a primary immune response without causing disease
What is passive immunity?
Immediate, short-term protection through antibodies passed from mother to child or injected into a person
What therapy involves biotechnologically designed antibodies for COVID-19?
Convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) or monoclonal antibodies
Name a factor contributing to the emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases.
Human demographics and behavior, changing ecosystems, poverty, international travel, etc.
Name the types of pathogens.
Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, Protists
What are the two primary types of immune responses?
Primary immune response and secondary immune response.
What are the two ways active immunity can develop?
Naturally from an infection or artificially through immunization
What factors can affect the response to a vaccine?
Age, underlying immune status, and other factors
Name two examples of viruses that can cause illness.
HIV and Influenza (Flu)
What type of pathogen is involved in toxoid vaccines, like diphtheria and tetanus?
Toxins (chemically deactivated but still antigenic)
How does passive immunity differ from active immunity?
Passive immunity is immediate and short-term, whereas active immunity develops over time and is long-term.
How can passive immunity be conferred naturally?
Through IgG crossing the placenta or IgA in breast milk
What is the role of neutrophils in the immune response?
They phagocytose (engulf) and destroy pathogens.
How does convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) work for treating SARS-CoV-2?
IgG antibodies from recovered patients bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, neutralizing the virus.
What are examples of factors that lead to the breakdown of public health measures contributing to infectious disease spread?
War, famine, poverty, and lack of political will
How do sweat glands help in defense against pathogens?
They produce sweat with low pH that makes it hard for pathogens to replicate.
Name two non-specific defenses of the mucosal surfaces.
Mucous membranes and the normal flora (nonpathogenic bacteria)
What is the function of natural killer (NK) cells?
Directly killing infected or cancerous cells
What type of vaccine contains killed viruses?
Inactivated (killed) viral vaccines, such as the inactivated polio vaccine.
The secondary immune response is generally faster and stronger than the primary immune response.
yes, because of the generation of memory cells
