Scribd
Upload
207 views4 pages

HSB

This document defines key concepts related to diseases and pathogens. It describes 5 main types of diseases: infectious, degenerative, deficiency, inherited/genetic, and mental. Signs are objective indicators of disease observable by others, while symptoms are subjective sensations felt by the patient. Terms like epidemic, endemic, and notifiable are explained. The life cycles of viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and parasitic worms are outlined. Methods of disease prevention like sterilization, pasteurization, antibiotics, antigens, and antibodies are also defined.

Uploaded by

Carlos Webster
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
207 views4 pages

HSB

This document defines key concepts related to diseases and pathogens. It describes 5 main types of diseases: infectious, degenerative, deficiency, inherited/genetic, and mental. Signs are objective indicators of disease observable by others, while symptoms are subjective sensations felt by the patient. Terms like epidemic, endemic, and notifiable are explained. The life cycles of viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and parasitic worms are outlined. Methods of disease prevention like sterilization, pasteurization, antibiotics, antigens, and antibodies are also defined.

Uploaded by

Carlos Webster
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

HSB

Section D

 Health is complete physical, mental and social wellbeing.


 A disease is a condition of a living organism that impairs normal functioning and results in a loss
of health, caused by a disease agent.
 A pathogen is a biological organism, transmitted by a vector, that causes illness to its host.
 Main pathogens are microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, protozoa) and worms.

Types of Disease

 Infectious/Communicable – caused by pathogens. Influenza…


 Degenerative – caused by a breakdown of body tissue, preventing normal functioning.
Usually chronic. Diabetes, Heart disease, Cancer…
 Deficiency – caused by malnutrition. Ricketts, Kwashiorkor…
 Inherited/Genetic – caused by inheritance of harmful genes. Albinism, sickle cell anaemia,
Down’s syndrome
 Mental – caused by an unwell state of mind. Anxiety, depression…

Signs vs Symptoms
Signs are indicators of disease that may been seen by an observer WHILE symptoms refer to
sensations felt by the patient.

 Signs: fever, rash…


 Symptoms: nausea, pain…

Terms associated w/ diseases

 Epidemic: Widespread outbreak of a disease in a community, at a particular time.


 Endemic: a disease that is always present in an area.
 Notifiable: a disease that must be reported to WHO.

Course of a disease

 Incubation period: follows infective contact; where the pathogen multiplies and acclimatizes to
the host.
 Contagious period: host suffers a fever; pathogen may be spread.
 Recovery period: body temp returns to normal; host free of pathogen.
VIRUSES

 ALL VIRUSES ARE PARASITES.


 A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism (host) and feeds and reproduces
within it; the host suffers a loss of nutrient as a result.
 Viruses can act as both living organisms (when within a host) and special non-living chemicals.
 Healthy cells produce interferon, a substance that destroys viruses.
Diseases caused by viruses: common cold, influenza, dengue, malaria, measles, herpes

Life Cycle of a virus

 Virus attaches to human cell and injects nucleic acid (RNA).


 RNA hijacks cells, forcing it to produce new copies of the virus.
 Cell membrane bursts and releases new viruses to infect other cells and may be transmitted
from the human.

BACTERIA

 Bacteria reproduce asexually. They divide into two through binary fission.
 In bad conditions, bacteria reproduce by endospore formation, where dormant spores form in
the cytoplasm of cells (protected by a coating) and germinate when conditions better.
 Bacteria obtain food through absorption from their environment.
.
Diseases caused by bacteria: tuberculosis, typhoid, cholera, pneumonia, leptospirosis

FUNGI

 Fungi are either saprophytes or parasites.


 Saprophytes secrete enzymes that digest organic matter.
 Fungi require most conditions for growth.
 Fungi grow through spores, which may be transmitted by air.

Diseases caused by fungi: ringworm, athlete’s foot


PROTOZOA

 Protozoa are unicellular organisms. Eg: amoeba.


 Grow through spores, which hibernate then germinate in good conditions.

PARASITIC WORMS

 Animals. Eg: tapeworm, flatworm, roundworm (eg - hookworm)


 Flatworms require secondary hosts to complete their life cycles.

DEFENCE AGAINST DISEASES


STERILIZATION

 The process by which food (or any other object) is made free from living microorganisms.
 Pasteurization is the partial sterilization of a liquid (typically milk) to remove harmful organisms
by heat treatment.
 Antiseptic refers to killing bacteria (and other microorganisms). Aseptic refers to sterile
conditions/tools.

ANTIBIOTICS

 An antibiotic is a chemical that stops the growth of and destroys bacteria.


 Penicillin is the most common antibiotic. Used to treat gonorrhoea, syphilis, and pneumonia.

Antigen

 A large molecule on the surface of pathogens that stimulates the release of antibodies by
lymphocytes.
Antibodies

 Large protein molecules that destroy pathogens.


 They are specific. Eg. The influenza virus is of different strains and thus requires different
antibodies for each strain => hard to produce a vaccine for influenza.

You might also like