Viral Diseases Flashcards
What is a pathogen?
A microorganism that causes communicable disease.
What is health?
Being physically and mentally well.
What is meant by the term ‘communicable’?
A disease that can be passed on from one person to another.
What is a vaccination?
An injection given to prevent a person from getting a communicable disease in the future.
What are antivirals?
A medicine that is able to destroy viruses.
How do viruses replicate themselves?
They attach to a cell
It releases its DNA inside the cell
By using the cell’s machinery, the virus replicates its DNA and new viruses assemble.
The cell will burst, releasing all of the new viruses.
How is measles spread?
Droplets of an infected person’s sneeze or cough.
Give the two MAIN symptoms of measles.
A red skin rash and a fever
What method has been used to slow the spread of measles?
People being vaccinated when they’re young.
Give two ways in which HIV is spread.
By sexual contact
Exchanging bodily fluids such as blood (usually when people share needles when taking drugs).
What is the initial symptom of HIV?
Flu-like symptoms.
How can HIV be controlled?
By taking antiretroviral drugs everyday.
Explain what happens to the body when someone has AIDS.
The virus attacks the immune cells.
The immune system is damaged so it can’t cope with other infections or cancers, which is very dangerous.
What does tobacco mosaic virus affect?
It affects many species of plants.
What is the symptom of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)
It causes a mosaic pattern on the leaves of the plants and parts of the leaves become discoloured.
