Unit 7 Communicable Diseases and Sexually Transmitted Infections Flashcards
discuss the controllable risk factors for communicable diseases.
Controllable Risk Factors:
- Hygiene Practices: Proper handwashing, sanitation, and personal hygiene reduce the transmission of germs.
- Vaccination: Immunization helps prevent the spread of many communicable diseases.
- Safe Sex Practices: Using protection and practicing monogamy can reduce sexually transmitted infections.
- Isolation and Quarantine: Separating infected individuals helps prevent disease spread.
- Public Health Policies: Regulations and interventions like travel restrictions can limit outbreaks.
discuss the non-controllable risk factors for communicable diseases. keep it short
Non-Controllable Risk Factors:
- Genetics: Genetic susceptibility can influence an individual’s vulnerability to certain diseases.
- Age: Certain age groups, like the elderly and infants, are more prone to severe infections.
- Underlying Health Conditions: Chronic illnesses weaken the immune system and increase disease risk.
- Geography and Climate: Environmental factors affect the prevalence and transmission of diseases.
- Socioeconomic Status: Limited access to healthcare, crowded living conditions, and poverty can contribute to disease spread.
describe viruses and discuss the infectious diseases that they cause.
- Viruses are small infectious agents that require a host cell to reproduce.
- They can cause diseases like the common cold, flu, HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, and hepatitis.
describe bacteria and discuss the infectious diseases that they cause.
- Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms that can be found everywhere.
- They cause diseases such as tuberculosis, strep throat, cholera, and urinary tract infections.
describe fungi and discuss the infectious diseases that they cause.
- Fungi are organisms like yeasts and molds that thrive in certain conditions.
- They cause diseases like athlete’s foot, ringworm, candidiasis (yeast infection), and aspergillosis.
describe protozoa and discuss the infectious diseases that they cause.
- Protozoa are single-celled organisms that can live in water or host organisms.
- They cause diseases like malaria, amoebic dysentery, giardiasis, and sleeping sickness.
describe parasitic worms and discuss the infectious diseases that they cause.
- Parasitic worms are multicellular organisms that live in or on their hosts.
- They cause diseases such as tapeworm infections, roundworm infections, hookworm infections, and schistosomiasis.
explain how infectious diseases are transmitted.
- Direct Contact: Person-to-person contact, such as touching, kissing, or sexual intercourse.
- Indirect Contact: Via contaminated objects, surfaces, or air particles.
- Ingestion: Consuming contaminated food, water, or beverages.
- Inhalation: Breathing in infectious droplets or aerosols.
- Vector-Borne: Carried by insects or animals that spread the pathogens.
- Vertical Transmission: From mother to fetus during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
describe how the body protects itself from infection
The body’s immune system defends against infection by:
- Physical Barriers: Skin, mucous membranes, and cilia prevent pathogen entry.
- Inflammatory Response: White blood cells and chemicals combat invaders.
- Adaptive Immunity: Immune cells produce specific antibodies to target and remember pathogens.
discuss the purpose of immunization.
Immunization, or vaccination, stimulates immune responses without causing illness. It:
- Prevents Disease: Builds immunity against specific pathogens.
- Creates Herd Immunity: Protects vulnerable populations.
- Reduces Severity: Even if infection occurs, vaccinated individuals often experience milder symptoms.
describe antimicrobial resistance and its implications for health.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microbes, like bacteria and fungi, evolve to resist the effects of drugs designed to kill them. This leads to:
- Ineffective Treatments: Infections become harder to cure.
- Prolonged Illness: Longer recovery times and increased risk of complications.
- Limited Options: Fewer antibiotics available, impacting medical procedures.
- Increased Costs: Higher healthcare expenses due to extended treatments.
- Global Health Threat: AMR jeopardizes our ability to control infectious diseases.
describe the key features of major infectious diseases such as colds.
Colds (Common Cold):
- Causative Agent: Usually rhinoviruses.
- Symptoms: Runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat, coughing.
describe the key features of major infectious diseases such as influenza
Influenza (Flu):
- Causative Agent: Influenza viruses.
- Symptoms: Fever, chills, cough, muscle aches, fatigue.
describe the key features of major infectious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS):
- Causative Agent: SARS coronavirus.
- Symptoms: Fever, cough, difficulty breathing; can lead to severe pneumonia.
describe the key features of major infectious diseases such as meningitis
Meningitis:
- Causative Agents: Bacteria (e.g., Neisseria meningitidis) or viruses.
- Symptoms: Headache, stiff neck, fever; bacterial meningitis can be severe.
