Chapter 12-Disease and the Body's Immune System Flashcards
(98 cards)
What are the microscopic living creatures that cause disease and are commonly referred to as germs?
Microbes
Scientists refer to any organism which causes disease as a:
Pathogen
What are diseases caused by invading pathogens?
Infectious
What are diseases caused by factors such as aging, hormones, genetics, or nutrition?
Noninfectious
What term describes a a disease that is severe, but only lasting for a short time?
Acute
What term describes a disease that is long-lasting or recurring disorder?
Chronic
What are diseases in which tissues and organs gradually lose their ability to function properly?
Degenerative diseases
What are diseases caused by malfunctions of the immune system?
Immunological diseases
What is the most common immunological disease that occur when the immune system overreacts to foreign substances such as pollen, dust, or certain foods?
Allergies
What kind of diseases result when the immune system attacks the body it is supposed to protect?
Autoimmune disease
Disorders which occur as a result of malfunctions of the endocrine system are sometimes called:
Hormonal diseases
What kind of diseases occur during development in the mother’s womb and are present at birth?
Congenital diseases
What kind of congenital disease results from genetic or inherited characteristics such as hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, and Tay-Sachs disease?
Genetic disease
What is a type of nutritional disease caused by a lack of an essential nutrition, such as a diet low in vitamins, minerals, or certain other nutrients?
Deficiency disease
Deficiency diseases are caused by ___________, which results from a diet lacking one or more essential food elements?
Malnutrition
What is the second-leading cause of death in the United States that results from the runaway growth of the body’s own cells?
Cancer
Although your immune system seeks out and destroys some of the out-of-control cells, a few may escape destruction and form a mass of rapidly reproducing cells called a:
Tumor
What term describes a tumor that shows no tendency to spread through the body?
Benign
What are the four major factors that lead to cancer that together account for as many as 98% of all cancer deaths?
Hereditary defects
Smoke or drug abuse
Viruses
Nutrition
What is the most important factor in treating cancer?
To treat cancer early, before it has spread
What is one of the greatest ways to reduce your risk of cancer? As many as a third if all cancer deaths result from not doing this.
Avoid Cigarette smoking
What is one if the greatest ways to reduce your risk of cancer? People who do this are half as likely to develop firms of cancer.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of vegetables
What may help prevent cancer by keeping your body’s systems in proper operating condition?
Excercise
What is any condition which interferes with the normal functioning of the body?
Disease