B6 - Preventing and Treating Disease Flashcards
How does vaccination work
- Dead or inactive forms of a pathogen are injected into the body
- White blood cells are then stimulated to produce antibodies against pathogens
- White blood cells then are duplicated by mitosis to make memory cells
- If the pathogen is reintroduced to the body, the memory cells can provide a rapid immune response + increase of antibodies to help kill it is quick and there are lots more antibodies
What is herd immunity and why is it important
- Where a large proprotion of the population is immune to a disease
- This reduces the spread of pathogens and protects those who may not have been vaccinated
First antibiotic discovered
Pencillin
What do antibiotics do
Kill BACTERIA inside the human body without harming human cells
What is antibiotic resistance and why was it caused
- Where certain antibiotics are no longer effective against some bacteria
- Caused by overuse of antibiotics
- Bacteria had then evolved to be resistant
How is anitibiotic resistance prevented
- Not used to treat viral infections - viruses are inside human cells so can’t be killed by antibiotics (only use when necessary)
- USing specific antibiotics for specific bacteria (narrow spectrum)
- High hygiene levels in hospitals
Role of painkillers and common examples
- Treat the symptoms of a disease by relieving pain
- They don’t kill pathogens
- Examples - aspirin, paracetomol
Where do digitalis and digoxin originate from and what are they used for
- Extracted from the foxglove plant
- Used to treat heart conditions
Where does aspirin originate from and what is it used for
- Extracted from the willow tree
- Used as a painkiller
Where are drugs discovered from
- Plants
- Microorganisms e.g. Penicllium
- Synthesised in chemists
Why is drug testing done
- Toxicity - is it safe for humans, side effects
- Efficacy - is it effective
- Dosage - how much is a safe amount to use
First stage of drug trials
- Preclinical testing
- Not carried out on humans as it could be very toxic
- Carried out of cells, tissues or small animals
Second stage of drug trials
- Clinical testing - done on humans
- First step - low doses to check drug is safe in humans (healthy volunteers)
- Then optimal dose is found (double blind trials) - best dose with fewest side effects
How to set up a double blind trial
- Control gender, age and other factors
- Split into two groups, one with new drug (test group) and one with placebo drug (control group)
- Neither the patients or the doctors know which group has the new drug to avoid bias
- Results are then collected and peer reviewed by other scientists to avoid false claims e.g. due to drug company wanting to make more money
What is an monoclonal antibody
An antibody specific to the shape of a single antigen protein
This means they can target specific cells