Pathogenic diseases 2.1 Flashcards
What does infectious and contagious mean
Infectious: can be transmitted through the environment
Contagious: can be transmitted between organisms
The four types of microorganisms are
bacteria, fungi, virus and parasites
What are some characteristics of Bacteria
- Microscopic
- Unicellular (prokaryotic) one cell can live by itself
- No membrane-bound organelles (bacteria doesn’t have a nucleus
- DNA without a nuclear membrane (DNA is freely floating)
- Often contains a cell wall & cell membrane
- Often produce toxins which cause symptoms
- Reproduce by simple fission (slits into two)
Examples of bacterial diseases
*Whooping cough
* Tetanus
* Diphtheria
* Pneumococcal (Bacterial lung diseases)
* Meningococcal
* Chlamydia (STI)
What are some characteristics of Viruses
- Microscopic (one-hundredth the size
of bacteria) - Contain DNA or RNA surrounded by a
protein coat - invade host cells and uses it to
replicate.
Examples of Viral diseases
- Cold (Rhinovirus)
- Influenza (flu)
- Measles
- Chickenpox
- Cold sore (HSV)
What are some characteristics of Fungi
- Decomposer organisms in the environment
- Live in the dirt, on plants, on
household surfaces, and on skin - Relatively insignificant
Examples of a Fungi disease
- E.g. Thrush, athlete’s foot
What are some characteristics of Parasites
● Organisms which gain food or/and shelter
from another organism
Ectoparasite: surface (fleas, lice)
Endoparasite: internal (worms, protozoan)
Examples of a parasite disease
e.g malaria, tapeworms, threadworms, lice
Are mosquito’s parasites? if or if not explain why
In biological terms, organisms that live on a host and depend on it to survive are parasites. Even though they feed on their host’s blood, mosquitoes don’t live on their hosts like: head lice, for example
