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communicable disease Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a difference between bacteria and viruses in terms of their structure?

A

Bacteria are prokaryotic cells with no membrane-bound organelles and no nucleus, whereas viruses consist of just nucleic acid enclosed in a protein coat, with their genetic material being DNA or RNA.

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2
Q

Do bacteria require a host to survive?

A

No, bacteria do not require a host to survive.

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3
Q

Do viruses require a host to survive?

A

Yes, viruses are entirely dependent on their hosts and cannot survive without them.

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4
Q

How do bacteria and viruses differ in size?

A

Viruses are significantly smaller than bacteria.

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5
Q

What structures do bacteria have that viruses do not?

A

Bacteria have a cell membrane, cell wall, cytoplasm, ribosomes, plasmids, flagellum, and pili, whereas viruses have no such structures.

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6
Q

What bacterium causes tuberculosis (TB)?

A

The bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes tuberculosis (TB).

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7
Q

How does Mycobacterium tuberculosis infect the body?

A

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects phagocytes in the lungs, leading to inflammation and the formation of tubercles, where the bacteria remain dormant.

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8
Q

What happens when the immune system becomes weakened in tuberculosis (TB)?

A

When the immune system becomes weakened, the bacteria become active again and slowly destroy lung tissue, leading to symptoms such as breathing problems, coughing, weight loss, and fever.

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9
Q

What disease is caused by bacterial infection of the meninges?

A

Meningitis is caused by bacterial infection of the meninges.

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10
Q

What are the symptoms of HIV?

A

The first symptoms of HIV include fevers, tiredness, and headaches.

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11
Q

How does the body react to HIV after initial symptoms?

A

After initial symptoms, the symptoms disappear, and the immune system weakens, eventually leading to AIDS.

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12
Q

What virus causes influenza?

A

Influenza is caused by the influenza virus.

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13
Q

How does the influenza virus affect the body?

A

The influenza virus infects the ciliated epithelial cells of the gas exchange system.

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14
Q

What is athlete’s foot caused by?

A

Athlete’s foot is caused by a fungus.

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15
Q

How is athlete’s foot spread?

A

Athlete’s foot is spread by direct contact with the spores on the skin surface or other surfaces.

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16
Q

What is the cause of malaria?

A

Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito.

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17
Q

How do plants defend themselves against pathogens?

A

Plants defend themselves with physical barriers like cellulose cell walls, lignin layers, waxy cuticles, and blocked vascular tissue.

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18
Q

What physical plant defence prevents pathogen entry?

A

The closing of stomata helps prevent pathogen entry in plants.

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19
Q

What is necrosis in plant defence?

A

Necrosis is when cells near the infection site are killed using intracellular enzymes to prevent the spread of the pathogen.

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20
Q

What is canker in plant defence?

A

Canker is a form of necrosis where woody tissue in the main stem or branch is destroyed.

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21
Q

What are menthols produced by mint?

A

Menthols are terpenoids produced by mint, which have antibacterial properties.

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22
Q

What do phenols like tannins do in plant defence?

A

Phenols like tannins interfere with digestion and prevent insect attacks on plants.

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23
Q

What are alkaloids like caffeine and morphine in plant defence?

A

Alkaloids such as caffeine and morphine have a bitter taste to prevent herbivores from feeding on the plant.

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24
Q

What are defensins in plants?

A

Defensins are cysteine-rich proteins that inhibit transport channels in pathogens.

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25
What do hydrolytic enzymes like chitinases do in plants?
Hydrolytic enzymes like chitinases break down the cell walls of invading organisms.
26
What are the primary non-specific defences in animals?
Physical barriers like skin, stomach acid, and gut flora are primary non-specific defences in animals.
27
How does inflammation act in animals?
Inflammation involves histamine release, causing vasodilation and increased permeability, leading to more white blood cells, antibodies, and plasma to the infected area.
28
What is the role of lysozyme in animal defence?
Lysozyme is an enzyme found in tears and mucus that destroys bacterial cells by damaging their cell walls.
29
What is the role of interferons in animal defence?
Interferons prevent viruses from spreading to uninfected cells by stopping protein synthesis.
30
What is phagocytosis?
Phagocytosis is the process where white blood cells engulf pathogens and destroy them using lysosomes.
31
How does blood clotting help in animal defence?
Blood clotting seals wounds to reduce blood loss and prevent pathogen entry.
32
What happens after a pathogen is engulfed and destroyed by a phagocyte?
The phagocyte presents the pathogen's antigens, becoming an antigen-presenting cell that activates other immune cells.
33
What is a specific immune response?
A specific immune response is antigen-specific and targets one particular type of pathogen.
34
What are memory cells in the immune system?
Memory cells replicate themselves when exposed to a pathogen and remain in lymph nodes to provide a faster immune response upon re-infection.
35
What are B effector/plasma cells?
B effector/plasma cells are antibody-producing cells.
36
What do T helper cells do in the immune response?
T helper cells stimulate B cells and T killer cells to divide.
37
What do T killer cells do?
T killer cells destroy pathogen-infected cells.
38
What are antibodies?
Antibodies are globular protein molecules produced by lymphocytes that are complementary in shape to a specific antigen.
39
What is the process of neutralisation by antibodies?
Neutralisation is when antibodies attach to antigens, inhibiting their action and preventing infection.
40
How do antibodies facilitate phagocytosis?
Antibodies bind to pathogens and facilitate phagocyte binding to the pathogen, aiding in destruction.
41
What is agglutination in antibody action?
Agglutination is when several antibodies bind to pathogens, causing them to clump together, making them easier to be phagocytosed.
42
What is the structure of antibodies?
Antibodies have a constant region, a variable region, and a hinge region for flexibility.
43
What is the role of the constant region in antibodies?
The constant region helps antibodies interact with phagocytes to stimulate phagocytosis.
44
What is the role of the variable region in antibodies?
The variable region differs between antibodies and is responsible for the specificity of an antibody for a particular antigen.
45
What is the role of the hinge region in antibodies?
The hinge region allows antibodies to be flexible, aiding in binding to multiple pathogens.
46
What is the difference between active and passive immunity?
Active immunity results from the production of antibodies by the immune system, while passive immunity involves the introduction of antibodies from another person or animal.
47
What is natural active immunity?
Natural active immunity arises from being exposed to an antigen or getting the disease.
48
What is natural passive immunity?
Natural passive immunity is when a mother’s antibodies pass through the placenta and are present in breast milk.
49
What is active artificial immunity?
Active artificial immunity is acquired through vaccinations, which stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies.
50
What is passive artificial immunity?
Passive artificial immunity is when antibodies are injected into the body.
51
What are antibiotics used for?
Antibiotics are used to kill bacteria or stop their growth.
52
What is the action of bactericidal antibiotics?
Bactericidal antibiotics kill bacteria by destroying their cell walls, causing them to burst.
53
What is the action of bacteriostatic antibiotics?
Bacteriostatic antibiotics inhibit bacterial growth by stopping protein synthesis and nucleic acid production.
54
How do bacteria become resistant to antibiotics?
Bacteria that survive antibiotic treatment pass on resistance traits to their offspring, creating resistant strains.
55
What is MRSA?
MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is an antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection found in hospitals.
56
How do hospitals control the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections?
Hospitals control the spread by screening new patients, isolating infected patients, and following strict hygiene practices.
57
How can the spread of antibiotic resistance be reduced?
Antibiotics should only be used when needed, and courses of antibiotics should be completed to prevent resistant strains from forming.
58
What is the role of skin in the body’s defence against pathogens?
Skin acts as a tough physical barrier consisting of keratin, protecting against pathogen entry.
59
What is the role of stomach acid in pathogen defence?
Stomach acid kills bacteria that enter the digestive system.
60
What is the role of gut and skin flora?
Gut and skin flora are natural bacterial flora that compete with pathogens for food and space, preventing infection.
61
What is inflammation?
Inflammation is the response where histamines cause vasodilation, increasing blood flow to infected areas and allowing immune cells to target the pathogen.
62
What is lysozyme’s function in immune defence?
Lysozyme destroys bacterial cells by damaging their cell walls.
63
How do interferons protect against viruses?
Interferons prevent viruses from spreading to uninfected cells by stopping protein synthesis in infected cells.
64
How do phagocytes destroy pathogens?
Phagocytes engulf pathogens, fuse them with lysosomes, and digest them.
65
What is the role of blood clotting in pathogen defence?
Blood clotting reduces blood loss and prevents pathogens from entering through cuts.
66
What happens after phagocytosis?
After phagocytosis, the phagocyte presents the pathogen’s antigens, activating the adaptive immune response.
67
What are memory B and T cells responsible for?
Memory B and T cells remain in the lymph nodes to provide a faster immune response if the same pathogen infects again.
68
What do T helper cells stimulate?
T helper cells stimulate B cells and T killer cells to divide.
69
What is agglutination?
Agglutination is when antibodies bind to pathogens, causing them to clump together and become easier to destroy by phagocytes.
70
How does a vaccine work?
A vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies and memory cells, providing immunity against future infections by the same pathogen.
71
What do memory cells do in the immune system?
Memory cells 'remember' pathogens and allow the immune system to respond more quickly if the same pathogen invades again.
72
How do vaccines help prevent disease outbreaks?
Vaccines create herd immunity by immunizing a large portion of the population, reducing the spread of pathogens.
73
What is the function of lysozyme in tears and mucus?
Lysozyme in tears and mucus breaks down bacterial cell walls, helping to prevent infection.
74
What is the difference between active and passive immunity?
Active immunity is acquired by exposure to antigens, whereas passive immunity is acquired by receiving antibodies from another individual or animal.
75
What is an example of a disease caused by a bacterial pathogen?
Tuberculosis (TB) is an example of a disease caused by a bacterial pathogen.
76
What is the role of T helper cells in the immune response?
T helper cells activate B cells to produce antibodies and T killer cells to destroy infected cells.
77
What is a bacterial disease that affects the lungs?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease that affects the lungs.
78
What distinguishes a virus from bacteria?
A virus lacks a cellular structure, consisting only of nucleic acid enclosed in a protein coat, unlike bacteria, which are cellular organisms.
79
How can antibiotics lead to resistant strains of bacteria?
Antibiotics kill susceptible bacteria, but resistant bacteria survive and reproduce, passing on their resistance traits.
80
What is the role of skin flora in preventing infections?
Skin flora outcompetes harmful pathogens for food and space, preventing their growth.
81
What is the difference between bactericidal and bacteriostatic antibiotics?
Bactericidal antibiotics kill bacteria, while bacteriostatic antibiotics inhibit bacterial growth.
82
How do natural killer cells contribute to the immune response?
Natural killer cells destroy infected cells and cancerous cells by recognizing abnormalities in cell surface markers.
83
How do antibodies neutralize toxins released by pathogens?
Antibodies bind to toxins, preventing them from causing damage to the body’s cells.
84
What is the role of the constant region in an antibody structure?
The constant region interacts with immune cells, like phagocytes, to facilitate the destruction of pathogens.
85
How do antibodies help in agglutination?
Antibodies bind to multiple pathogens, causing them to clump together, making it easier for the immune system to clear them.
86
What happens during the cell-mediated immune response?
In the cell-mediated immune response, T cells directly attack and destroy infected cells.
87
What are the consequences of antibiotic overuse?
Overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance, making infections harder to treat.
88
What is herd immunity?
Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a population is immune to a disease, preventing its spread and protecting those who are not immune.
89
How do B cells respond to infection?
B cells produce antibodies that target specific antigens on pathogens to neutralize or destroy them.
90
What is an example of a fungal infection in humans?
Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection caused by direct contact with spores on skin or surfaces.
91
What does the term 'selective pressure' mean in relation to antibiotic resistance?
Selective pressure refers to the environmental factors, like antibiotics, that influence the survival of organisms, such as bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
92
What are the potential risks of antibiotic resistance in hospitals?
Antibiotic resistance can lead to harder-to-treat infections, increasing the risk of complications and death.
93
How do pathogens enter the body through mucous membranes?
Pathogens can enter the body through mucous membranes in the respiratory, digestive, or urogenital systems.
94
How does the immune system 'remember' pathogens?
The immune system 'remembers' pathogens through memory cells, which remain after the initial infection and respond quickly if the pathogen invades again.
95

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