Biology - B2 Key Words

B2 Key Words

Infectious - A disease which can be caught. The microorganism which causes it is passed from one person to another through the air, through water or by touch.

Microorganisms (MOs) - Living organisms that can only be seen by looking at them through a microscope. They include bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Fungi - A group of living things, including some microorganisms, that cannot make their own food.

Viruses - Microorganisms that can only live and reproduce inside living cells.

Bacteria - One type of single-celled microorganism. They do not have a nucleus. Some bacteria may cause damage.

Symptoms - What a person has when they have a particular illness, for example a rash, high temperature or sore throat.

Lifestyle Disease - Diseases which are not caused by microorganisms. They are triggered by other factors, for example, smoking, diet, lack of exercise.

White blood cells -Cells in the blood that fight microorganisms. Some white blood cells digest invading microorganism. Others produce antibodies.

Digests - Engulf and destroy.

Immune System - A group of organs and tissues in the body that fight infections.

Antibiotics - Drugs that kill or stop the growth of bacteria and fungi.

Correlation - A link between two things. For example, if an outcome happens when a factor is present, but not when it is absent. Or if an outcome increases or decreases when a factor increases. For example, when pollen count increases, hayfever cases increase.

Antibodies - A group of proteins made by white blood cells to fight dangerous microorganisms. A different antibody is needed to fight each different type of microorganism. Antibodies bind to the surface of the microorganism, which triggers other white blood cells to…