Topic 5 - Health, Disease, and the development of medicines Flashcards
What is World Health Organisation’s (WHO) definition for health?
“A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
What is infirmity?
Weakness or frailness, commonly due to old age.
What is disease?
Disease is condition where part of an organism doesn’t function properly.
What are the two types of disease?
Communicable diseases and Non-communicable diseases.
What are communicable diseases?
Communicable diseases are diseases that can be spread between individuals.
What are non-communicable diseases?
Non-communicable diseases can’t be transmitted between individuals.
If you are affected by one disease what may happen?
If you are affected by one disease, it could make you more susceptible to others - your immune system may become weakened by the disease, so it is less able to fight off other disease.
What are pathogens?
Pathogens are organisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists that causes communicable diseases.
What are the communicable diseases you need to know?
Cholera Tuberculosis Stomach Ulcers Chlamydia HIV Ebola Malaria Chalara Ash Dieback
What pathogen causes Cholera?
A bacterium called Vibrio cholerae.
What pathogen causes Tuberculosis?
A bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
What pathogen causes Stomach ulcers?
A bacterium called Helicobacter pylori.
What pathogen causes Chlamydia?
A bacterium called Chlamydia trachomatis
What pathogen causes HIV?
A virus.
What pathogen causes Ebola?
The Ebola virus
What pathogen causes Malaria?
A protist
What pathogen causes Chalara ash dieback?
A fungus
What are the symptoms of Cholera?
Diarrhoea.
What are the symptoms of Tuberculosis?
Coughing and lung damage.
What are the symptoms of Malaria?
Damage to red blood cells and, in severe cases, to the liver.
What are the symptoms of Stomach ulcers?
Stomach pain, nausea and vomiting.
What are the symptoms of Ebola?
Haemorrhagic fever (a fever with bleeding).
What are the symptoms of Chalara ash dieback?
Leaf loss and bark lesions (wounds).
What are the symptoms of Chlamydia?
Although it doesn’t always cause symptoms, it can result in infertility in men and women.
How is Cholera spread?
Via contaminated water sources
How is Tuberculosis spread?
Through the air when infected individuals cough
How is malaria spread?
Mosquitoes act as animal vectors (carriers) - they pass on the protist to humans but don’t get the disease themselves.
How are Stomach ulcers spread?
By oral transmission, e.g. By swallowing contaminated water or food
How is Ebola spread?
Via bodily fluids
How is Chalara ash dieback spread?
It is carried through the air by the wind. It also spreads when diseased ash trees are moved between areas.
How can Cholera be reduced?
By making sure that people have access to clean water supplies.
How can Tuberculosis be reduced?
Infected people should avoid crowded public spaces, practise good hygiene and sleep alone. Their homes should also be well-ventilated.
How can malaria be reduced?
By the use of mosquito nets and insect repellent to prevent mosquitoes carrying the pathogen from biting people.
How can stomach ulcers be reduced?
By having clean water supplies and hygienic living conditions
How can Ebola be reduced?
By isolating infected individuals and sterilising any areas where the virus may be present
How can Chalara ash dieback be reduced?
By removing young, infected ash trees and replanting with different species. Also by restricting the import or movement of ash trees.
What does being susceptible to a disease mean?
There are increased chances of getting it
What are viruses?
Usually a protein coat around a strand of genetic material
Are viruses cells?
No
How do viruses reproduce?
By infecting living cells (host cells), specific types of viruses will only infect specific cells
How do viruses reproduce by the lytic pathway/cycle?
1) the virus attaches itself to a specific host cell and injects its genetic material into the cell
2) the virus uses proteins and enzymes in the host cell to replicate its genetic material and produce the components of the new viruses
3) the viral components assemble
4) the host cell splits open, releasing the new viruses which infect more cells
How do viruses reproduce in the lysogenic pathway/cycle?
1) the infected genetic material is incorporated into the genome (DNA) of the host cell
2) the viral genetic material is replicated along with the host DNA every time the host cell divides, however the virus is dormant and no new viruses are made.
3) eventually a trigger causes the viral genetic material to leave the genome and enter the lytic pathway/cycle
What does it mean if a virus is dormant?
The virus is inactive
What is a trigger that could cause the life cycle of a virus to shift from the lysogenic cycle to the lytic cycle?
The presence of a chemical
What are the lytic and lysogenic pathways /cycles?
Parts of the life cycle of a virus
What are STIs?
Sexually Transmitted Infections, STIs are infections that spread through sexual contact including sexual intercourse
What are the two STIs you need to know about?
Chlamydia and HIV
Some STIs are not only spread by sexual intercourse but what else? Give an example of an STIs which is spread in this way.
Genital contact, Chlamydia
How does the bacterium which causes Chlamydia behave in a similar way to a virus?
It can only reproduce in host cells
How can the spread of Chlamydia be reduced?
By wearing a condom when having sex, screening individuals so hey can be treated for the infection, or by avoiding sexual contact.
What is HIV?
the Human Immunodeficiency Virus
What is the impact of HIV?
It kills white blood cells which are very important for the immune response
What does the HIV infection eventually lead to?
AIDS
What is AIDS?
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
What is the impact of AIDS?
The infected person’s immune system deteriorates and eventually fails, because of this the person becomes very vulnerable to opportunistic infections by other pathogens
How is HIV spread?
Via infected bodily fluids
What are some examples of bodily fluids which could be infected by HIV and therefore could spread HIV?
Blood, semen, vaginal fluids
How can the spread of HIV be reduced?
Use a condom when having sex, drug users should avoid sharing needles, medication, screening and proper treatment
How can medication reduce the spread of HIV?
Medication can reduce the risk of an infected individual passing the virus on to others during sex or a mother passing the virus on to her baby during pregnancy, however this means that screening is important to identify the infected individuals for treatment
What physical defences/barriers do plants have against pathogens and pests?
- most plants leaves and stems have a waxy cuticle
* plant cells are surrounded by cell walls
How does a waxy cuticle act as a physical barrier for plants against pathogens and pests?
- The waxy cuticle provides a barrier to stop pathogens entering the plant and to prevent pests damaging the plant.
- a waxy cuticle may also stop water from collecting on the leaf, this could reduce the risk of infection by pathogens that are transferred between plants in water
How does a cell wall surrounding plant cells act as a physical barrier for plants against pathogens and pests?
The cell walls form a physical barrier against pathogens that make it past the waxy cuticle
What are some chemical defences that plants have?
- produce chemicals called antiseptics
* produce chemicals to deter pests from feeding on their leaves
What is the function of antiseptics in plants?
Acts as a chemical defence against pathogens, kills bacteria and fungal pathogens
What are two chemicals from plants which can be used as drugs to treat human diseases or relieve symptoms?
- Quinine
* Aspirin
Where is quinine found in plants?
The bark of the cinchona tree
How is quinine used to treat human disease?
For years quinine was the main treatment for malaria
How is aspirin used to relieve symptoms of human disease?
To relieve pain and fever
How is aspirin developed from plants?
It is developed from a chemical found in the bark and leaves of willow trees
In the field how are plant diseases usually detected?
By observations, plant pathologists recognise the symptoms
What are plant pathologists?
Experts in plant disease
What is an example of a symptom in plants which might indicate a specific disease? What types of plants might this disease infect?
Galls may indicate crown gall disease, infects many different types of plants including apple and fruit trees
What is an example of a symptom of a disease that could indicate that the disease is due to environmental causes?
Yellow leaves
What is an example of an environmental cause?
Nutrient deficiency
How is it possible to determine whether a plant is diseased or if the symptoms were due to something else?
By changing the environmental conditions (e.g. adding nutrients to the soil) and observing any change in the plant’s symptoms
What is an example of changing environmental conditions?
Adding nutrients to the soil
How can plant pathologists identify the type of pathogen involved in causing a disease?
By analysing the distribution of the diseased plants
What are two examples of how analysing the distribution of diseased plants can help to identify the type of pathogen causing the disease?
- patches of diseased plants may suggest that the disease is spread through the soil
- a random distribution of diseased plants may suggest an airborne pathogen