Topic 5: Health, disease, and the development of medicines

Question 1

What is meant by the term infectious disease?

Answer 1

Infectious diseases are caused by pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, that can be transmitted from one organism to another.

Question 2

Define the terms antibiotic and vaccination.

Answer 2

Antibiotics are medications that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. Vaccinations are injections of weakened or dead pathogens that stimulate an immune response and provide immunity against a particular disease.

Question 3

What is the difference between a virus and a bacterium?

Answer 3

Viruses are smaller than bacteria and cannot survive outside of a host cell. Bacteria are single-celled organisms that can survive and reproduce on their own.

Question 4

What is the role of white blood cells in the immune system?

Answer 4

White blood cells (leukocytes) are part of the immune system and help defend the body against infection and disease.