Communicable Diseases Flashcards
(135 cards)
What is a pathogen
A microorganism that causes disease
What is the body that the pathogen lives in called
- The host
- Pathogen is fed by taking nutrition from the host but also caused damage in the process - can be considerable
What are the key features of bacteria
- belong to the Kingdom Prokaryotae
- smaller than eukaryotes but reproduce rapidly
- in right conditions can reproduce every 20 minutes
- can cause disease by damaging cells or by releasing waste products and/or toxins that are toxic to the host
- In plants bacteria often live in vascular tissue and caused blackening and death of tissue
What are the key features of fungi In humans
- Can cause variety of diseases in both plants and animals
- Common fungal infections where the fungus lives in the skin of an animal and where its hyphae which forms a mycelium grows under the skin surface
- The fungus can send out specialised reproductive hyphae which grows to the surface of the skin to release spores
- This causes redness and irritation
What are the key features of fungi in plants
-Fungus often lives in vascular tissue where it can gain nutrients
-hyphae releases extracellular enzymes such as cellulases to digest the surrounding tissue which causes decay
-Leaves often become mottled in colour curl up and shrivel before dying
-Fruit and storage organs such as tubers (potatoes) will turn black and decay

What are the key features of viruses
-Causes many diseases in plants and animals
-viruses invade cells and take over the genetic machinery and other organelles of the cell
- they then cause the cell to manufacture more copies of the virus
-The host cell eventually bursts releasing many new viruses which will infect healthy cells

What are the key features of Protoctista
- Number of diseases caused by animal like protoctists
- organisms usually cause harm by entering host cells and feeding on content as they grow
- malarial parasite plasmadomium Has immature forms that feed on the haemoglobin inside red blood cells
Name some diseases caused by bacteria
-tuberculosis
A disease that affects many parts of the body killing the cells and tissues the lungs are most often affected
-Ring rot (in plants)
Ring of decay and vascular tissue of the potato tuber or tomato accompanied by leaf wilting
Name some diseases caused by a virus
-HIV/AIDS
Attack cells in the immune system and compromises the immune response
-tobacco mosaic virus
Causes mottling and discolouration of leaves
Name some diseases caused by fungus
-ringworm (cattle)
Growth of fungus in skin with spore cases erupting through skin to cause a rash
-Black sigatoka (bananas)
Causes leaf spots on banana plants reducing yield
Name some diseases caused by protoctistan
-malaria
Parasite in the blood that causes headache and fever may progress to coma and death
-Blight (tomatoes and potatoes)
Affects both leaves and potato tubers
What is a pathogens life-cycle
- Travel from one host to another (transmission)
- entering the hosts tissues
- reproducing
- leaving for host tissues
What is direct transmission
Passing a pathogen from host to host with no intermediary
What are some examples of direct transmission
-Direct physical contact i.e. touching a person who is infected
Wash hands regularly and keep hygienic to avoid
-faceal (oral transmission) by eating or drinking food contaminated by pathogen
Wash all fresh food when cooking
-droplet infection (pathogen carried by water in the air)
Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing
-transmission by spores (carried by air or side on surfaces or in soil)
Washing skin after contact with soil
What are some other factors that affect transmission including social factors
- overcrowding -many people living and sleeping together in one house
- Poor ventilation
- Poor health -particularly if a person has HID/AIDS as they are more like to catch other disease 
- Poor diet
- homelessness
- Living or working with people who have migrated from areas for a disease is common
What is indirect transmission
Passing a pathogen from host to new host via a vector
What is a vector
An organism that carries a pathogen from one house to another i.e. a mosquito
Outline the process of someone getting malaria indirectly
1) A person with malaria
2)Gametes of plasmodium in blood
3) female mosquito sucks blood
4)plasmodium Develops and migrate to mosquitoes salivary glands
5) An uninfected person is bitten
6)plamodium migrates to liver
7) Then migrates to blood
What are some examples of direct transmission in plants
- pathogen is present in the soil will infect plants by entering roots (especially if they have been damaged as a result of re-planting/burrowing animals/ movement caused by a storm)
- airborne transmission - Fungi produce spores as a means of sexual/asexual reproduction these may be carried in the wind
- once pathogen is inside plant it will affect vascular tissue - Pathogens in leaves are distributed when it leaves a shed and carry pathogen back to the soil where it can grow and infect another plant
-Can also enter fruit and seeds and will then be distributed with the seeds so many or all offspring are infected

What is an example of indirect transmission in plants 
- occurs as a result of insect attack
- Spores/bacteria become attached to burrowing insect (i.e. beetle) which attacks an infected plant
- when beetle attacks another plant the pathogen is transmitted to the uninfected plant
-Beetle acting as a vector i.e. fungus that causes Dutch elm disease is carried by a beetle
How does climate affects disease
- pathogens can grow and reproduce more rapidly in warm and moist conditions
- tend to be more common in warmer climates than cooler climates
Why are different organisms attracted to plants
They manufacture sugar in photosynthesis and convert the sugars to a wide variety of compounds i.e. protein/oils
-They represent a rich source of nutrients for many organisms
How do plants dedect pathogens
- a wide range of structural/chemical/protein based defenses which can detect invading organisms and prevent them from causing extensive damage
- Includes both active and passive defenses
What are passive defences
Defences present before infection and role is to prevent entry and spread of pathogen
Include physical barriers and chemicals