biology

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pathogens
Pathogens are micro-organisms that cause infectious disease. Bacteria and viruses are the main pathogens.
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Bacteria
Bacteria are living cells and can multiply rapidly in favourable conditions. Once inside the body, they release poisons or toxins that can make us feel ill.
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Viruses
iruses are many times smaller than bacteria. They are among the smallest organisms known, consisting of a fragment of genetic material inside a protective protein coat. Viruses can only reproduce inside host cells, damaging them when they do so. Once
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communicable disease
A disease that is caused by a pathogen and so is transmitted rather than inherited or caused by an environmental factor.
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Disease transmission
Transmission of pathogens can occur in a number of important ways such as direct contact,water,air,food preparation and vector(disease)
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Causing symptoms
Pathogens cause symptoms by: releasing toxins damaging cells by invading and reproducing
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water
Dirty water can transmit many diseases, such as the cholera bacterium.
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Air
When a person who is infected by the common cold sneezes, they spray thousands of tiny droplets containing virus particles, which can infect others.
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food preparation
Undercooked or reheated food can cause bacterial diseases like Salmonella food poisoning.
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Vector
Malaria is spread by mosquitoes. Any organism that can spread a disease is called a vector
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Examples of diseases
Viruses are not considered to be living organisms because they do not complete all of the seven life processes: movement, respiration, sensitivity, nutrition, excretion, reproduction and growth. This means they can only reproduce by invading living c
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Vaccinations
Pathogens are microbes that cause diseases. Vaccines allow a dead or altered form of the disease causing pathogen to be introduced into the body, which contain a specific antigen. This causes the immune system, specifically the white blood cells, to
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primary infection
During the primary infection the antibodies slowly increase, peak at around ten days and then gradually decrease. A second exposure to the same pathogen causes the white blood cells to respond quickly in order to produce lots of the relevant antibodi
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Antibiotics and painkillers
Different types of medicines are available to treat many different diseases. Some medicines only treat the symptoms and others cure the disease by killing the pathogens.
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Viral diseases
Viral diseases cannot be cured by antibiotics, as they reproduce inside the host cells. It is very difficult to develop antiviral drugs, as they might damage the host cell whist killing the virus. Antiviral drugs only slow down viral development, and
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Bacteria are living cells and can multiply rapidly in favourable conditions. Once inside the body, they release poisons or toxins that can make us feel ill.

Back

Bacteria

Card 3

Front

iruses are many times smaller than bacteria. They are among the smallest organisms known, consisting of a fragment of genetic material inside a protective protein coat. Viruses can only reproduce inside host cells, damaging them when they do so. Once

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

A disease that is caused by a pathogen and so is transmitted rather than inherited or caused by an environmental factor.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Transmission of pathogens can occur in a number of important ways such as direct contact,water,air,food preparation and vector(disease)

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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