Infectious agents Flashcards
Bacteria, fungi, viruses etc (22 cards)
When/how do diseases occur?
When tiny organisms infect the body, interfering with body processes or organs
Bacteria
Microscopic one- celled organisms
Diseases caused by bacteria
Diphtheria, pneumonia, scarlet fever, tetanus, tonsillitis, TB, typhoid, whooping cough
How do bacteria grow?
Multiplying in the body
Treatment of bacterial infections
Antibiotics
Rickettsia
Microscopic organisms found in some fleas, lice and ticks
What does rickettsia cause?
Q fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, scrub typhus and typhus.
Treatment of rickettsia
Antibiotics (untreated cases can be fatal)
Viruses
Smaller, simpler structures than bacteria. They break down body cells in viral diseases
Examples of viruses
Common cold, chickenpox, influenza, measles, mumps, poliomyelitis AIDS etc.
Treatment for viruses
Vaccination
Fungi
Non - green plant-like organisms
Examples of fungal diseases
Athletes foot, ringworm, certain lung diseases
Treatment of fungal diseases
Treatments include fungicides
Protozoan parasites
One - celled ‘animals’ invading the body to produce disease
Examples of protozoan parasite diseases
Amoebic dysentery, malaria, sleeping sickness
Metazoan parasites
Multicelled animals that live and feed on or in the body causing irritation or disease
Metazoan parasites: external examples
Fleas, lice, ticks
Metazoan parasites: internal examples
Roundworms, tapeworms
Treatment for metazoan parasites
Eradication
Protozoan
One - celled, microscopic organisms
Metazoan
Multicellular animals
