pandemic Flashcards
(17 cards)
what is an infectious disease
a communicable disease that can be transferred from host to host caused by a pathogen
what is a pathogen
a disease-causing agent, can be living or non-living
5/6 types of pathogens
prions, viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and parasite
what are the two types of direct transmission
person to person - physical contact
droplets- expelled through coughing, sneezing, talking (body fluids)
what are some forms of indirect transmission
contaminated environments
animal vector
airborne
contaminated objects
contaminated food/water
ways to prevent transmission
washing hand
cover coughs/ sneezes
cook food thoroughly
protect against insect bites
drink clean water
what is innate immunity
mechanism doesn’t change throughout life time, attack every pathogen the same as cell has no memory.
what is the first line of defence
the bodies barrier - seeks pathogens and prevents them from entering blood.
chemical defences
tears, mucus, stomach acid
physical defences
hairs in the naval cavity, barrier of skin
what is the second line of defence
there are three actions taken to imobilise or kill a pathogen.
1) macrophorges eating the pathogens
2) fever - heating the body to kill pathogens
3) inflammation - increase fluid so macrophages can move around
why is can the second line of defence be dangerous
because it can kill healthy cells as well as the bad ones because its innate
what is the third line of defence
consists of active mechanisms, specific immunity and acquired immunity
1) t-cells get data from broken pathogens that the macrophages have heated which activates b-cells to create antibodies rabid spread throughout body and kills all diseases
how do you gain immunity
the memory b and t-cells remain in you blood stream and upon re-infection rapidly produces antibodies that kill pathogens.
what is a vaccination
a weakened non-dangerous fragment of the pathogen that includes part of the antigen. it is enough that our body can learn to build its specific antigen therefore, if there is ever an infection, we have immunity
what are non-infectious diseases
they are diseases that can not be transmitted from person to person
what are the four categories of non-infectious diseases
1) genetic
2) environmental
3) nutritional
4) cancer
