Pathogens and Disease Flashcards
What is a microorganism?
Any organism too small to e seen without a microscope
What is a pathogen?
Any organism that causes diseases
How can pathogens spread?
Direct physical contact, indirect contact through air, indirect contact through objects and disease vectors
What is direct physical contact?
Pathogens spread through infected skin, bodily fluids, touching or sexual activity
What is indirect physical contact through air?
Pathogens spread through droplets in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes
What is indirect contact by objects?
Pathogens spread by inanimate objects called fomites such as door handles or counter tops
What are disease vectors?
Pathogens spread by living organisms such as mosquitoes that carry them to other living organisms
How do pathogens cause diseases?
Rapid multiplication, toxins, cell destruction and competition
What is rapid multiplication?
When pathogens multiply so rapidly and crowed or kill healthy cells and tissues
What are toxins?
Pathogens produce toxins that interfere with normal cellular activities
What is cell destruction?
When the pathogen takes over the cells to replicate itself, destroying the cells
What is pathogen competition?
When the pathogen competes with the body for nutrients, thus causing malnutrition
How can pathogens enter the body?
Through open cuts/wounds, inhaling airborne droplets, drinking contaminated water, eating contaminated food, direct physical contact and sexual activity
What are the 4 main types of pathogens?
Viruses, bacteria, fungi and potozoa
What is bacteria?
single-celled microbes without a nucleus that multiply rapidly and can destroy cells directly or by releasing toxins
What pathogen can be killed by antibiotics?
Bacteria
What is a virus?
A non-living particle that can only reproduce inside living cells, they are much smaller than bacteria and spread by bodily fluids including blood and mucus
What pathogen cannot be killed by antibiotics?
Viruses
What is a fungi?
A simple organism like mushrooms, yeasts an molds that grow as single cells or threadlike filaments
What pathogen is treated with antifungals?
Fungi
What is protozoa?
A single celled animal that is more complex than bacteria and is found in decaying matter and contaminated water that may have a threadlike flagellum to move
What is an infection?
Occurs when a pathogen successfully enters the hosts body an begins to multiply
What is a disease?
Occurs when a hosts cells are damaged as a result of infection, crating symptoms
What are the types of infection?
Pathogenic, opportunistic, exogenous, endogenous and HAI