Biology B1 1.8 Changing pathogens.

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What happens if a pathogen changes by mutation?
The new strain may spread rapidly.
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What can some new strains of pathogen cause?
Epidemics and pandemics.
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How have some bacteria developed resistance to antibiotics?
By natural selection.
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What can happen to some pathogens, particularly viruses?
They can mutate (change) resulting in a new form called a mutation.
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How can mutated pathogens cause disease to spread quickly?
Very few people are immune to mutated/changed pathogen.
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What do diseases that are spread within a country result in?
An epidemic.
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What do diseases that are spread across countries result in?
A pandemic.
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What is MRSA 'super bug'?
A bacterium that has evolved through natural selection.
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How is it difficult to treat MRSA and some other bacteria?
They have become resistant to the common antibiotic.
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What do mutations of pathogens produce?
New strains, some of which are resistant to antibiotics.
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What do antibiotics do?
Kill individual pathogens of the non-resistant strain.
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What happens to resistant bacteria that are treated with antibiotics?
The resistant bacteria survive and reproduce and a whole population of a resistant strain develops.
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What is the development of a resistant strain of pathogen?
Natural selection.
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Why shouldn't antibiotics be used to treat mild infections?
In order to slow down the rate of development of resistant strains.
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Why do some pathogens spread quickly?
Very few people are immune to the new pathogen.
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How does natural selection cause resistant populations of bacteria to develop?
The antibiotics kill the non-resistant strains which allows the resistant ones to survive and multiply without competition.
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What is an epidemic?
Disease that spread within a country.
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What is a pandemic?
Disease that spread across countries.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What can some new strains of pathogen cause?

Back

Epidemics and pandemics.

Card 3

Front

How have some bacteria developed resistance to antibiotics?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What can happen to some pathogens, particularly viruses?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

How can mutated pathogens cause disease to spread quickly?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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