Topic 5 - Health and Disease Flashcards
Disease
An illness that prevents the body functioning normally.
Pathogen
An organism that causes disease.
Communicable Disease
Any disease that can be spread directly from one person to another.
Non-communicable
When an animal that cannot be spread from one person to another.
Immune system
All the organs in the body that protect against disease.
Cholera
A bacterial infection of the small intestine which causes diarrhoea.
Diarrhoea
Loose or watery faeces.
Tuberculosis
A communicable disease that infects the lungs.
Viruses
A particle that can infect cells and cause them to make copies of the virus.
Malaria
A dangerous disease caused by a protest that causes serious fever, headaches and vomiting, damages to the blood and liver and can lead to death.
Chalara Dieback
A disease of ash trees caused by a fungi. (ash dieback)
Haemorrhagic fever
A disease that causes a fever and internal bleeding.
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) which is a virus which attacks white blood cells, often leading to AIDs.
AIDs
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome which is when a person’s immune system has been damaged and they are more likely to get secondary infections.
Secondary infections
An infection because an immune system is weakened.
Hygiene
Keeping things clean by removing or killing pathogens.
Epidemic
When many people over a large area are infected with the same pathogen at the same time.
Vectors
Something that transfers things from one place to another.
Physical Barrier
A structure that stops a pathogen entering the body e.g. skin
Chemical Defence
The use of chemical compounds to defend against attacks e.g. hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Mucus
A sticky secretion that lines openings to the body i.e. snot.
Ciliated Cell
A cell which has small hair-like features to waft mucus.
