The Search for Better Health Flashcards
What are prions?
A defective form of a protein molecule.
- don’t contain DNA or RNA
- mostly attack nerve & brain cell & go on to alter other proteins
Disease caused?
*Prion diseases can be both infectious & hereditary
BSE Bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cows
CJD Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease in humans
What is a virus?
DNA or RNA wrapped in a coat of protein
- To replicate they invade cells & insert their genetic code into the host cell’s genetic code.
- as they are not technically living, they are only able to reproduce in a living cell
- extremely small & cannot be observed under a light microscope –>difficult to observe & understand
Diseases: HIV, influenza, small pox
What is bacteria?
Single living Procaryotic cell with no internal membrane
-cause disease by:
secreting toxins, invading cells & forming bacterial colonies that disrupt normal cell function.
Diseases: salmonella, bacterial leaf spot
What is a protozoan?
single celled organisms with ann internal membrane
–>DNA in nucleus (eucaryotic)
disease: malaria, giardia
What are fungi?
Eucaryotic, non-photosynthetic cell.
Can be single or multicellular.
Diseases: tinea, thrush
What are macro-parasites?
parasites visible to the naked human eye.
such as: arthropods (ticks), tapeworms,
order of pathogens in order of smallest to largest:
prions viruses bacteria protozoans fungi macro-parasites
identify the role of antibiotics in the
management of infectious disease:
antibiotics are important in treating bacterial-caused diseases by inhibiting cell wall formation, damaging the cell membrane or interfering with the nucleic acid metabolism and cell division.
Examples of antibiotics include penicillin and streptomycin.
What are antibiotics?
antibiotics are chemicals that prevent the growth or development of bacteria.
they have contributed to controlling and eliminiating diseases such as:
leprosy, pneumonia, cholera.
They have improved the life span and quality of life for humans
what are the problems relating
to antibiotic resistance?
The effect of antibiotics has decreased over time due to antibiotic resistance.
Due to the overprescription and misuse of antibiotics:
-strains of resistant, more virulent bacteria have evolved, resulting in super bugs
‘super bugs’ are resistant to most antibiotics. eg. golden staph
Due to these antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria, there is a major risk of future epidemics of disease that we cannot control.
What are the precautions taken to minimise antibiotic resistance?
-individuals must complete their full course of antibiotics, this ensure all bacteria is destroyed
(not finishing course can lead to the selection of resistant bacteria)
-Antibiotics don’t work on viruses, and therefore it is important to ensure the correct prescription of antibiotics to bacteria only diseases
How does a named disease results
from an imbalance of microflora in
humans?
-microbes live in & on the body in a symbiotic relationship.
Candidiasis (thrush)is caused by an imabalnace of microflora.
Thrush is caused by the fungus Candida albicans, which is a natural microorganism in the body. It is usually kept in balance by competition with other microorganisms.
An increase in Candida albicans cells causing Candidiasis (thrush) can be due to antibiotics, steroids, oral contraceptives, malnutrition.
This results in itchy, tender white infected patches in the mouth, respiratory tract and female genital tract.
*antibiotics kill lots of types of bacteria, thus can kill the good bacteria which creates a balance of microflora.
What are the main steps of the treatment of water?
The process goes
- -Sedimentation (removal of large particles through a fine screen.)
- -Activated carbon (adsorbs contaminants-dissolved toxins, colours, tastes/odours that can be then filtered out.)
- -Coagulation (ferric chloride/aluminium sulfate)
- -Flocculation (all flocs gather in large group)
- -Filtration ( Sand and crushed coal, trapping the floc)
- -Chlorination (chlorine added to water to kill bacteria)
- -UV (water to disinfect)
- -Fluoridation (prevent tooth decay)
- -Stabilization
- -Testing for presence of micro disease causing orgs
How to remember: Sedimentation Activated carbon Coagulation Flocculation Filtration Chlorination UV Fluoridation Stabilization Testing for treatment of water
Should Activated Clinton Fall For Charismatic Flying United Seagulls Talking
What are two disease causing orgs?
Cryptosporidium, giardia
What is the role of quarantine in preventing the spread of disease?
aim:
1. to prevent entry of harmful diseases within australia
2. stop the spread of diseases
Why is quarantine important?
- as introduction of foreign pests and diseases = serious environmental and economic impact
eg. protecting native species - quarantine regulations have prevented entry of foot and mouth diseases which can be devastating to livestock industry
- quarantine works well for diseases that have a relatively short incubation period, however are less effective in preventing diseases such with a long incubation period or that are highly infectious
how have public health programs controlled/prevented disease?
Public health program was the grim reaper campaign used to warn of the risks involved in contracting HIV
What is epdiemiology?
the study of the distribution and frequency of diseases
- it is based on the collection, analysis and interpretation of data
- cause and effect!
What are the features of an epidemiology study?
- large focus group
- populations with the occurrence of the disease & with unequal exposure
- allow for analysis factors that may contribute to the occurence of the disease eg, AIDS, gender, ethnicity, occupation
How are epid. studies effective?
epidemiological studies are an effective way of idenitfying non-infetious diseases, and the relationship between the cause and effect
how has the relationship between smoking and lung cancer has been established through epidemiology?
-show a correlation between the no. cigarettes smoked per day, the starting age of the smoker ad the risk of getting lung cancer
What are the 3 trypes of non-infectious diseases?
inherited
nutritional deficiencies
environmental diseases
What are the causes of inherited disease?
-caused by genetic factors as a result of mutations during meiosis
What is an example of an inherited disease?
Down syndrome, hemophilia
What are the causes of nutritional deficiencies?
-deficiency of a protein or vitamin
What is an example of a disease from nutritional deficiency?
scurvy (vitamin C)
Kwashiorkor (protein deficiency)
What are the causes of environmental diseases?
-lifestyle related disease associated with factors in the environment (eg. high stress level, noise, pollution
What is an example of an environmental disease?
-lung cancer from smoking
Why is cause and effect ficcicult to determine?
as there may be many other reasons for the cause of the disease
it is easier to establish a correlation
identify the cause and effect relationship of smoking and lung cancer
- in the 1970s: data was collected from over 1 million american men 7 their smoking habits and a clear correlation was found between smoking & the incidences of lung cancer
- the data was compared against other factors & it was concluded that smoking was the biggest factor in determining the risk of lung cancer.