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Biology Unit 4 > Disease 4.6 > Flashcards

Disease 4.6 Flashcards

(60 cards)

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1
Q

Describe the term pathogenic.

A

An organism that causes damage to its host.

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2
Q

What is a vector?

A

A living organism which transfers a disease from one individual to another

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3
Q

Describe the term infectious.

A

A disease that may be passed or transmitted from one individual to another.

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4
Q

Describe the term contagious.

A

A disease that can be spread by direct contact.

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5
Q

Describe what a carrier is.

A

A person who shows no symptoms when infected by a diseased organism but can pass the disease on to another individual.

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6
Q

What is a disease reservoir?

A

Where pathogen is normally found; this may be in humans or another animal and may be a source of infection.

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7
Q

What is an endemic?

A

A disease which is always present at low levels in an area.

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8
Q

What is an epidemic?

A

Where there is significant increase in the usual number of cases of a disease often associated with rapid spread.

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9
Q

What is a pandemic?

A

An epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people.

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10
Q

What is air-borne transmission / droplet infection?

A

Transmission of a disease through the air in droplets of saliva and mucus.

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11
Q

What is a toxin?

A

It is a chemical produced by a microorganism which causes damage to its host.

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12
Q

What is an antigen?

A

A substance that can induce an immune response e.g., the formation of antibodies.

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13
Q

What are antibodies?

A

Proteins produced by lymphocytes that can bind to a specific antigen and neutralise, destroy or inhibit that antigen.

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14
Q

What is a vaccine?

A

It uses non-pathogenic forms, products or antigens of microorganisms to stimulate an immune response which confers protection against subsequent infection.

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15
Q

What are antibiotics?

A

Substances produced by microorganisms which affect the growth of other microorganisms.

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16
Q

What is antibiotic resistance?

A

Where a microorganism, which should be affected by an antibiotic, is no longer susceptible to it.

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17
Q

What are antigenic types / serotypes?

A

Organisms with the same or very similar antigens on the surface. Such types are sub groups or strains of a microbial species which may be used to trace infections. They are usually identified by using antibodies from serum.

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18
Q

What is direct transmission?

A

The spread of disease from one host to another host.

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19
Q

What is indirect transmission?

A

The spread of disease from host to host by means of a vector

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20
Q

What is a mechanical vector?

A

Vector is physically contaminated with the pathogen and serves only to carry the pathogen to a new host.

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21
Q

What is a biologic vector?

A

Vector is a required part of the life cycle of the pathogen; for disease transmission to occur. The pathogen must replicate or undergo some part of its life cycle in the vector e.g., malaria.

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22
Q

What type of organism is cholera?

A

A gram negative bacteria.

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23
Q

What is the source of infection of cholera?

A

Infected faeces (in contaminated water and food).

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24
Q

What tissue does cholera affect?

A

The gut lining.

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25
What is the mode of transmission of cholera?
Contaminated water and food.
26
How is cholera prevented?
1: hygienic disposal of human faeces 2: Safe drinking water 3: hygienic preparation of food
27
What are the control methods of Cholera?
1: Powerful antibiotic therapy is possible but largely by rehydration therapy. 2: Vaccine may provide temporary protection.
28
What type of organism is tuberculosis?
Bacterium.
29
What is the source of infection of tuberculosis?
infected people.
30
What tissue is affected by tuberculosis?
lungs and lymphnodes in neck.
31
What is the mode of transmission of tuberculosis?
Air-borne droplet infection i.e. sneezing / coughing.
32
How is tuberculosis prevented?
1: School vaccination programme (BCG), age 10-14. 2: Heaf test ( inject tuberculin into skin to see if already immune).
33
What are some control methods of tuberculosis?
1: Antibodies. 2: Less over-crowding.
34
What type of organism is smallpox?
Variola.
35
What is the source of infection of smallpox?
Infected humans.
36
What tissue does smallpox affect?
Skin.
37
What is the mode of transmission of smallpox?
Body fluids, direct contact, contagious.
38
How is smallpox prevented?
Vacination.
39
What type of organism is influenza?
Virus.
40
What is the source of infection of influenza?
Infected humans.
41
What tissue does influenza affect?
Cells lining upper respiratory tract especially the nose and throat.
42
What is the mode of transmission of influenza?
air-borne droplet infection (Coughing, sneezing).
43
How is influenza prevented?
Vaccination, quarantine and hygiene.
44
What are the control methods of influenza?
Vaccines available but many antigenic types, means they aren't always effective.
45
Viruses are intracellular parasites that use a cell's metabolic pathways to produce more virus particles. How do they cause pathogenic effects?
1: Cell lysis when they escape from cells to infect other cells. 2: Production of toxic substances 3: Cell transformation where they can trigger cells to become cancerous 4: Suppress the immune system (e.g. HIV).
46
How is malaria produced?
It is a disease caused by a single-celled organism called Plasmodium. This is a protoctistan.
47
What is a protoctistan?
A single-celled eukaryotic organism.
48
What is Plasmodium?
It has four main species. All four species are intracellular parasites and live in liver and red blood cells in their primary host - humans.
49
How is the plasmodium parasite transmitted between humans.
By a secondary host - the female Anopheles mosquito. As a blood sucking insect, the mosquito is a highly effective vector.
50
Describe the life cycle of plasmodium.
1: Female Anopheles mosquito infected with the malaria parasite bites the human and transmits the infective form of the parasite (sporozoites) into the human's blood. 2: Sporozoites enter liver cells and multiply, forming merozoites that burst out of liver cells. 3: Merozoites enter red blood cells and multiply, forming new merozoites or developing into gametocytes (reproductive form). 4: Female Anopheles mosquito bites a human infected with Plasmodium, taking up gametocytes with its blood meal. 5: Sporozoites (infective form), which develop from gametocytes, travel to the salivary glands of the mosquito.
51
How is damage caused to the human?
1: Large numbers of liver cells being destroyed when the parasite escapes from the liver cells. 2: Large numbers of red blood cells are destroyed when the parasite escapes from the red blood cells. 3: Toxins accumulate in the blood as more and more cells are destroyed.
52
What are symptoms of malaria?
1: Fever 2: Headaches 3: Chills
53
How are mosquitos prevented from biting humans?
1: Mosquito nets 2: Protective clothing 3: Insect repellents
54
How do mosquitoes reproduce?
They need water. The female mosquito lays her eggs in still water in swampy areas. The larvae hatch and breath by inserting a breathing tube through the surface film of the water. Later in the life cycle pupae develop that also breathe the same way.
55
How can the vector be controlled by using drainage swamps?
- Gets rid of breeding grounds BUT - Expensive - Destroys ecosystems
56
How can the vector be controlled by spraying oil on the surface water?
- Blocks breathing tubes of larvae and pupae and kills them BUT - Reduces amount of oxygen that can get into the water and this can kill other aquatic organisms.
57
How can the vector be controlled by disrupting the water's surface?
Larvae and pupae rely on still water to be able to breathe - disrupting the surface of the water e.g., using a fountain.
58
How can the vector be controlled by spraying insecticides on the water?
Would kill larvae but insecticides are non-specific and would also kill other aquatic insects.
59
How can the vector be controlled by using biological control?
Guppies that eat larvae and pupae could be introduced. But once larvae had been eaten what would they feed on.`
60
How can we attack the parasite?
1: Anti malarial drugs and vaccines.

Biology Unit 4 (8 decks)

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