Chapter 7 - Disease Flashcards
Health
A state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not just the absence of disease
Infectious disease
Caused by a pathogen and can be transmitted between hosts. Eg: Ebola, influenza, rubella, chicken pox, hep a
Disease
A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal or plant. Especially one that produces specific symptoms or affects a specific location, not just a result of physical injury
Non-infectious disease
Result of a bodily function not working correctly. Caused by genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors.
Eg: Cancer, ADHD, OCD, Autism, dyslexia
Pathogen
A biological agent that causes a disease. Most are microorganisms. eg: bacteria, Protozoa, virus, prions, fungi, macroscopic parasites
Vector
A biological agent that transmits a pathogen but not necessarily harmed by it. Eg: mosquito carrying malaria
Transmission
The movement of a pathogen between hosts
Protozoa
Only a few are pathogens and can be seen with a light microscope. Eg: Amoeba. They are functionally independent individual cells and are single-celled. They have animal-like behaviours such as predation
Fungi
Only a few cause disease in humans. Mostly disease of the skin. Eg: ringworm they spread through spores and usually grow in warm, moist environments
Prions
Proteins that have a strange shape and cause other proteins to adopt their strange shape eg: BSE (mad cow disease)
Macroscopic Parasites
Can be seen without a microscope. Eg: tapeworm. They invade a host and take nutrients from it
Bacteria
Cause a lot of different diseases. Based on shape. Bacteria is microscopic and unicellular (one cell) . However many bacterias are good and important for the environment
Cocci , staphylocci , streptococci bacteria
Spheres , clusters , chains
Bacilli bacteria
Rods
Spirilla bacteria
Spirals
Virus
DNA wrapped in a protein shell. Hijack hosts cell and use the cell system to reproduce. Only can be seen with an electron microscope. Not ‘living’, needs host to reproduce. Can lay dormant for long time. Eg: polio
Antibiotics
Work by attacking the cell wall. Only effective on bacteria. Eg: penecillin
Outbreak
A disease that suddenly gets out of control. Can also refer to pandemic outbreaks and epidemic outbreaks eg: 2014 Ebola outbreak
Endemic
A disease that regularly effects a small number of people in the population. Eg: malaria
Epidemic
Higher than normal numbers are affected by a particular disease in a certain place. Eg: gastro
Pandemic
Outbreak that goes global, crossing boarders, everyone’s at risk. Eg: Ebola
Passive Immunity
Works by giving the person the antibodies to fight the antigen. Wears off quickly
Artificial immunity
Artificially stimulate the immune system as if it has had the disease before (even if it hasn’t) effective against bacteria and viruses
Natural Immunity
Your body (leucocytes) recognises diseases you’ve had before and creates antibodies to fight it
Active Immunity
Occurs with vaccination using dead, weakened or related form of the disease. Stimulates the immune response without the person getting the full disease.
How does vaccination work?
Dead, attenuated (weakened) or related forms of the disease are given to the person through vaccination. This stimulates the immune response without the person getting the full disease. The vaccination can wear off so boosters are needed every few years