2.1 Types of Disease Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is the primary difference between infectious and non-infectious diseases?
Infectious diseases are transmitted between organisms, while non-infectious diseases are not transmitted.
What are the characteristics of a pathogen?
Pathogens can destroy cells or release toxins that disrupt normal cell function.
List the methods by which pathogens may be transmitted between hosts.
- Air
- Dust
- Direct contact
- Faeces
- Food
- Animals
Define disease.
A change in an organism that negatively impacts its ability to function.
What are some examples of non-infectious diseases?
- Cancer
- Genetic diseases (e.g., cystic fibrosis)
- Diabetes
- Lifestyle diseases (e.g., coronary heart disease)
What are the causes of non-infectious diseases?
- Carcinogens
- High energy radiation
- Faulty genes
- Hypersensitivity to environmental agents
- Lifestyle choices
- Organ and tissue degeneration
What types of non-infectious diseases are there?
- Genetic
- Nutritional
- Ageing
- Cancer
- Auto-Immune
What is a pathogen?
An agent that causes disease, residing within a host organism.
What are the six main types of pathogens?
- Bacteria
- Fungi
- Protists
- Viruses
- Parasites
- Prions
What must a pathogen do to cause disease in a host?
- Cross protective barriers
- Multiply inside the host
- Avoid the host’s immune system
What are the shapes of bacteria?
- Rod (bacilli)
- Spherical (cocci)
- Spiral (spirilla)
- Curved (vibrio)
What are some diseases caused by bacteria?
- Food poisoning
- Syphilis
- Tuberculosis
- Cholera
How do bacteria cause disease?
- Produce toxins
- Damage cell membranes
- Invade organs and tissues
What are the characteristics of fungi?
- Unicellular
- Eukaryotic
- Heterotrophs
What are some types of fungal diseases?
- Toenail infections
- Ringworm
- Invasive aspergillosis
What are protists and how do they affect their hosts?
Unicellular eukaryotic organisms that absorb nutrients from the host, often called parasites.
What is a well-known example of a disease caused by protists?
Malaria, caused by Plasmodium species.
What are the characteristics of viruses?
Viruses cannot carry out life functions and are classified as infective particles.
How do viruses replicate within a host?
- The entire virus enters the host cell
- The virus injects genetic material into the host cell
What are some examples of viral diseases?
- Influenza
- Common cold
- HIV (AIDS)
- COVID-19
What are parasitic worms and how do they affect their hosts?
They live inside a host and feed on the host’s food, often leading to nutrient deficiencies.
What are some types of parasitic worm diseases?
- Thread worm
- Tapeworm infection
- Nematode infestation
What are prions?
Infectious agents that convert normal proteins into abnormally shaped proteins.
How do prions replicate within a host?
By inducing normal proteins to misfold into prion versions.
