Disease Flashcards

All 17 cards in this deck

How does the World Health Organization (WHO) define health?

A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Why does a person infected with HIV become more likely to develop tuberculosis?

HIV destroys white blood cells, so the immune system is weakened and cannot fight other pathogens.

What is a pathogen?

An organism that causes disease.

Name the four types of pathogen.

Viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists.

Which type of pathogen causes malaria, and what damage does it cause?

A protist; it damages the blood and liver.

Which type of pathogen causes cholera, and what symptom does it cause?

Bacteria; they cause diarrhoea.

Which type of pathogen causes tuberculosis (TB), and what damage does it cause?

Bacteria; they cause lung damage.

Chalara ash dieback: what damage does it cause, and how is it spread?

Leaf loss and bark lesions; it is spread by airborne fungal spores.

How is the pathogen that causes malaria spread, and how can this be reduced?

By animal vectors — mosquitoes; reduce spread with mosquito nets and insecticides.

Which cells does HIV destroy, and what does this lead to?

White blood cells; this leads to the onset of AIDS.

How is chlamydia spread, and give one way this spread can be prevented.

By sexual intercourse; prevent by using a condom or femidom (or avoid sexual contact, screening, treat with antibiotics).

Why is measles described as a communicable disease?

It is caused by a pathogen (a virus) and can be passed or spread from person to person.

True or false? Obesity is a communicable disease.

False. Obesity is non-communicable — it is not caused by a pathogen and is not spread from person to person.

How is cholera spread, and how can this spread be reduced?

In water; provide clean, treated drinking water and good sanitation.

How is tuberculosis (TB) spread?

It is airborne — in droplets breathed out when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Give two ways the spread of tuberculosis (TB) can be reduced.

Vaccination (immunisation) and treating infected people with antibiotics.
Also: coughing into a tissue or avoiding close contact with infected people.

How is HIV spread, and how can this spread be reduced?

By sexual contact and other body fluids; use a condom or femidom and do not share needles.