Lesson 13 : Infectious diseases Flashcards
1
Q
What is a pathogen?
A
- A pathogen is a microorganism that causes disease.
2
Q
What are the 4 types of pathogen?
A
- Virus
- Bacteria
- Protist
- Fungi
3
Q
How are pathogens spread?
A
- Airbourne (droplets from coughing/sneezing)
- Direct contact (shaking hands, sexual intercourse)
- Indirect contact (pathogens on surfaces)
- Water (dirty water has disease eg. cholera)
- Vector (bugs/ insect bites) spread disease
- Unhygeinic food prep (clean environment, cooked thoroughly)
4
Q
How can you prevent pathogens from spreading?
A
- Airbourne: isolation of patients, coughing/ sneezing in a tissue.
- Indirect contact: use sanitizer on surfaces.
- Direct contact: hand sanitizer, contraception
- Insect bites –> insect repellent –> less bites
- Food: cook properly, store food properly
- Water: If not treated, boil it.
5
Q
What 2 ways do pathogens make you ill?
A
- Toxins: produced by bacteria, poisonous to tissue and enzymes.
- Reproduction: damage cell -> cause cell to burst -> hijak resources that cell needs.
6
Q
How do bacteria reproduce?
A
Bacteria reproduce rapidly and overcrowed healthy cells. They cause cell/ tissue damage.
7
Q
How do viruses reproduce?
A
- > Need a host to replicate DNA strands and protein coats.
- > They overcrowed cell -> cell bursts.
- > Virus is in the blood. Spreads to other cells.
8
Q
What do the nose, mouth and eyes do to protect against disease?
A
- They contain enzymes (in snot, saliva, tears) that breaks down cell walls of microbes.
9
Q
How does the throat and nose protect against disease?
A
- They have mucus–> traps bacteria.
- Cilia wafts mucus up to back of thorat where it can be coughed up or swallowed for hydrochloric acid to break down.
10
Q
How does the vagina prevent against disease?
A
- Pubic hair/ slightly acidic.
11
Q
How does the skin prevent against disease?
A
- Acts as a physical barrier.
- Sebacous glands make skin acidic, preventing growth of pathogens.
12
Q
How do blood clots prevent against disease?
A
- Dried blood acts as a barrier to any pathogens.
