Fighting against diseases Flashcards
What are the 2 main types of pathogen?
Bacteria and virus
How does bacteria make you feel ill?
Damaging cells and producing toxins
How do viruses make you feel ill?
Damaging cells
How do viruses reproduce quickly?
Hijack cells producing more duplicating themselves. Eventually cell bursts producing lots more
What does your body have to act as an initial defence against bacteria and viruses?
Hairs, skin, mucus. Has platelets to clot blood and seal wounds
What are the 3 ways WBCs kill pathogens?
Engulfing them, producing antibodies, producing antitoxins
Why would your body produce antibodies?
Kill specific antigens, produce rapidly, can be naturally immune to the pathogen you just killed
Why would your body produce antitoxins?
Counteract toxins produced by bacteria
Why are vaccines effective?
Because your body has produced antibodies to kill the initial vaccine, so if you’re effected by the same pathogen again, your body knows which antibody to produce
What are the pros of vaccines?
Controls infectious diseases, epidemics can be reduced if large % of population are vaccinated
What are the cons of vaccines?
Don’t always work, person could react to them
What is the purpose of drugs?
To relive symptoms or cure a the problem
What do antibiotics do?
Kill bacteria/problem without killing body cells
Do antibiotics kill viruses?
No
How can bacteria become resistant to antibiotics?
By mutating and then reproducing with the increased resistance
