Communicable Disease, Prevention and Immunity - Autoimmune Diseases, Vaccination and Drugs Flashcards
(25 cards)
define autoimmune disease
- failure to distinguish between self and non self antigens
- this is due to specific lymphocytes not being destroyed during development
- antibodies are produced against the antigens on your own cells
give two examples of autoimmune diseases
- rheumatoid arthritis
- type 1 diabetes
what does rheumatoid arthritis affect
joints, particularly in the hands, wrists, ankles and feet
how is rheumatoid arthritis treated
- no cure
- anti-inflammatory drugs
- steroids
- immunosuppressants
- pain relief
what does type 1 diabetes affect
the insulin secreting cells of the pancreas
how is type 1 diabetes treated
- insulin injections
- pancreas transplant
- immunosuppressant drugs
define vaccination
deliberate exposure to antigenic material that has been made harmless. this causes an immune response
what are the five different forms of antigenic material in vaccines
- whole live microorganisms (same antigens but causes mild/no symptoms)
- attenuated (weakened) pathogen
- dead pathogen
- antigen
- toxoid (harmless version of a toxin)
define herd vaccination
vaccinating enough people to provide immunity to all the population at risk. this is important to protect the most vulnerable
give examples of people that need to be protected by herd immunity
very young and immunosuppressed
define ring vaccination
when a new case of a disease is reported all possible contacts of the infected are vaccinated to prevent it spreading
What are routine vaccinations, giving examples
Vaccinations available to everyone that help ensure herd immunity
E.g MMR, HPV
Give the reasons for changing vaccines
- antigens keep changing
- pathogens evolve to avoid detection by the immune system
Which pathogens are hardest to vaccinate against
Pathogens with a high mutation rate
Give the reasons for changing vaccination programmes
- if a new disease arises or one become more severe
- research may lead to a new vaccination eg malaria
- research may lead to a new understanding of how a pathogen is spread
- improved understanding of how long immunity lasts
What are the three reasons for why new drugs are needed
- new diseases are emerging
- many diseases still have no treatment
- some antibiotics are ineffective
What are the three main sources of new medicines
- microorganisms
- plants
- personalised medicines
How are microorganisms a source of medicine
Fungi and bacteria have been the source of many antibiotics
How are plants a source of new medicines
- main sources of medicinal drugs
- plants in rainforests provide most of these drugs
Give an example of a medicine found in plants
Digitalis in foxglove
What are personalised medicines
- different people respond to medicines in different ways
- in the future it is hoped that sequencing the genome of the individual or pathogen will help determine specific drugs for the condition
Define antibiotics
Compounds to prevent the growth of bacteria by targeting bacterial cells without damaging human body cells
What are some other ways of discovering new medicines
- accidental discovery
- traditional remedies
- observing wildlife
- research into disease causing mechanisms
What is the result of overuse and misuse of antibiotics
Resistant microbes eg MRSA and C. difficile
