Science - Diseases Flashcards
Pathogen
An organism that causes disease
Disease
Something that prevents the body or a part of the body from working properly
Bacteria
Bacteria are microscopic and unicellular organisms. Some species are pathogenic while others aren’t
Examples of uses of non pathogenic bacteria
- Decomposition
- Nitrogen fixation
- Medicine production
Examples of Bacterial diseases
- Tetanus
- Gastroenteritis
- Typhoid Fever
How does a Tetanus infection occur?
C. tetani bacteria enter the body through puncture wounds from rusty metal
Symptoms of Tetanus
- All muscles in body stiffening (Lockjaw)
- Muscle spasms
- Respiratory failure
- Heart attack
How does Gastroenteritis occur
S. enteritis bacteria enter the body through eating bad food / not washing your hands before eating food
Symptoms of Gastroenteritis
- Fever
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
Vomiting and Diarrhoea cause _________
Dehydration
Symptoms of typhoid fever
- Fever
- Rash
- Diarrhoea
- Cough
Viruses
Viruses are pathogens that are 1/100 the size of bacteria. Viruses invade a host cell which they manipulate into producing more viruses. They do not use nutrients from the environment or produce waste.
Examples of viral diseases
- Colds
- Flu
- Measles
- Polio
- Chicken pox
- Ebola
A cold is caused by what viral pathogen?
Rhinoviruses
Symptoms of flu
High fever and body aches
The flu is caused by what viral pathogen?
Influenza types A, B and C
Symptoms of Measles
- Red rash
- Fever
- Dry cough
- Runny nose
- Possible complication: inflammation of the brain
Symptoms of Chicken Pox
- Itchy red blisters
- Runny nose
- Fever
Examples of Vaccines included in the Childhood Australian immunization program
- Measles
* Chicken Pox
Function of Antibiotics on Bacterial infections
Antibiotics kill bacteria by targeting cell walls and metabolic pathways
Function of Antibiotics on Viral infections
Viruses aren’t affected by antibiotics as they don’t have cell walls or metabolic pathways
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance occurs when the non-antibiotic-resistant bacteria are killed, and the mutated, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are given space to multiply.
Infectious disease
A disease that is caused by a pathogen
First line of defence
Non-specific barriers to prevent the pathogen from entering the body
Types of Pathogens
- Virus
- Bacteria
- Parasite
- Fungus
Examples of First line of defence
- Skin
- Tears
- Saliva
- Mucus
- Stomach acid
Second line of defence
Non-specific cellular responses to try and kill pathogens
Examples of the second of line of defence
- Inflammation
* Neutrophils and Macrophages
Inflammation
Where cells release histamines to increase blood flow to the area, making it appear red and swollen
Neutrophils and Macrophages
Non-specific specialized white blood cells that engulf bacteria and turn into pus when they die
Third line of defence
Pathogen-specific cellular responses that involve lymphocytes, antibodies and memory cells.
Antibody
Pathogen-specific proteins that are produced by lymphocytes that target specific pathogens and clumps them together.
Memory cells
Memory cells “remember” how to make antibodies from previous infections, making you (temporarily) immune from those infections.
Vaccines
Substances that cause the body to develop an immunity artificially to a certain pathogen without actually exposing you to the active pathogen. They may be made of dead or inactive pathogens and their proteins.
Disease that is extinct due to vaccination
Smallpox
Disease that is nearly extinct due to vaccination
Polio
Quarantine
Isolation to prevent the spread of disease
Ways to prevent the spread of a contagious disease
- Cover your mouth when coughing and sneezing
- Hand washing
- Wearing masks
- Using hand sanitiser frequently
- Quarantine
Why is immunity to influenza not as effective as other infections?
Because the virus strain mutates every year
Antiviral Drugs
Prevents viruses from reproducing inside a host cell
Parasite
An organism that lives on or inside a host organism. They feed off the host organism and often cause disease in the process.
Examples of parasitic diseases
- Malaria
* Amoebic Dysentery
Vector
A living organism that transmits an infectious agent from an infected animal or human to another animal or human
Malaria
A disease caused by a parasite called Plasmodium that is spread by mosquitoes.
Malaria symptoms
- Fever
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea
Prevention of Malaria
- Mosquito repellent
- Mosquito netting
- Removing free standing water
- Anti-malarial drugs
What is Amoebic dysentery?
Parasitic disease caused by drinking water contaminated with pathogenic amoebae
Symptoms of Amoebic Dysentery
- Bloody stool
- Diarrhoea
- Fever
Fungi reproduction method
Spreading spores
Examples of Fungal diseases
- Tinea
* Thrush
Tinea
Fungal infection that makes itchy, red ring-shaped marks and feeds on dead skin
What is Thrush?
A fungal disease caused by naturally occurring fungi in the body when other microbes die out.
Environmental disease
Disease that is not caused by a pathogen and is not infectious
Examples of environmental diseases caused by under-nutrition
- Kwashiorkor
- Scurvy
- Rickets
Symptoms of Kwashiorkor
- Pot-belly
- Hair loss
- Swollen legs
- Lack of energy
Cause of Kwashiorkor
Lack of protein
Symptoms of Scurvy
- Bleeding gums
- Teeth falling out
- Sore joints
- Reduced healing time
Cause of Scurvy
Lack of Vitamin C
Symptoms of Rickets
Rubbery bones that bend under the weight of the body results in bow legs
Cause of Rickets
Lack of Vitamin D - made worse with a lack of Calcium
Examples of environmental diseases caused by over-nutrition
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes (Type 2)
- Obesity
Health risks associated with high blood pressure
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Kidney Faliure
Cause of high blood pressure
Excess salt
Cause of type 1 diabetes
The immune system attacks the Beta cells of the pancreas, preventing insulin production. Type 1 Diabetes is genetic.
Management of type 1 diabetes
- Regular blood tests
* Insulin injections
Cause of type 2 diabetes
A poor diet (too much sugar) and little exercise leads to a resistance to insulin
Management of type 2 diabetes
Early stages:
Improving diet and exercise
Late stages:
Insulin injections
What is BMI?
A rough measure to estimate obesity. Stands for Body Mass Index.
Flaws with BMI
BMI does not consider muscle mass or bone density and is not accurate for children
Asbestosis
Chronic lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos
Symptoms of Asbestosis
- Persistent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Blue colouration of lips
Mesothelioma
Group of cancers caused by asbestos exposure 30 - 40 years after exposure
BMI Formula
Mass(kg)/Height(m)^2
Ways to combat viruses
- Vaccines
- Antiviral drugs
- Nanomedicine
Viruses are difficult to treat as they ______
Mutate often
Asbestos
Building material with small fibres
Immunosuppression
When someone’s immune system is weakened
Zone of inhibition
The area surrounding a paper disk with no microbial growth in an experiment about microbial growth
Larger zone of inhibition
More effective antimicrobial
Safety considerations when working with microbial experiments
- Wash hands with soap and water after touching agar plates to avoid infection
- Wear gloves when handling bacteria to avoid infection
Contagious disease
A disease that can be spread person to person
Examples of childhood diseases
- Chicken pox
- Measles
- Whooping cough
Causes of heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Obesity
Symptons of Thrush
itchy white and uncomfortable patches
Symptons of Tinea
Inflammation, itching, skin turns red with an appearance of a red ring.
