INFECTIOUS DISEASES STUDY SHEET
Objectives:
· Name four causes of infectious diseases
· Describe how to prevent the spread of common infectious diseases
· Be able to name two ways to protect yourself against infectious disease
· Explain two ways to control the spread of infectious diseases
Terms to Know:
· Virus
· Bacteria
· Protozoa
· Fungi
There is more than one cause for infectious diseases. A virus is a cause of some common infectious diseases. A tiny disease-causing particle that invades a cell to multiple is called a virus. A virus is not a living thing. It is so small it can only be seen with a microscope. Some viruses are harmless, while other viruses cause diseases.
EXAMPLES OF VIRUSES
· Flu and Cold
· Herpes
· AIDS
· Chickenpox
· Mumps
· Measles
Vaccines can prevent some viruses. A vaccine is a medicine that contains killed or weakened pathogens and protects you against a particular disease. They stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies. An antibody is a chemical that your body produces to fight invading pathogens.
Another cause of disease is bacteria. Bacteria are living things. They are more complex than viruses. They are small, single celled organisms without a nucleus. Most bacteria can not live on their own, but are found everywhere. Most are harmless and are helpful to humans (such as the kind that live in your intestines). Humans can’t live without bacteria. But some bacteria can cause serious illness.
SOME DISEASE IN HUMANS CAUSED BY BACTERIA:
· Whooping Cough
· Cholera
· Anthrax
· Tooth decay
· Some kinds of Food Poisoning
Bacteria can be controlled by washing your hands and by keeping your kitchen clean. It can also be controlled by not sharing drinking glasses, eating utensils and if the water supply has harmful bacteria in it, the water must be boiled or treated with chemicals. Most bacterial diseases can be treated with antibiotics. An antibiotic is a medicine used to stop the growth of or kill the bacteria.
WAYS THAT VIRUSES SPREAD
Direct Contact, touching a person
Indirect Contact, sneezing, objects (drinking glasses, insects)
Protozoa and fungi cause some diseases. Protozoa are single celled organisms that have a nucleus. They are more complex than bacteria. Most protozoa are harmless but some cause illness. Some protozoa are parasites. A parasite is an organism that gets it food from another organism, called a host. Protozoa can be found in water and carried by insects. Antibiotics can treat protozoa and other parasites. Fungi are complex organisms that cannot make their own food. They break down other substances and absorb their nutrients. Fungi are everywhere. Most fungi are harmless, but some cause diseases. Person to person contact spreads some fungi. Spores in the air, water or soil spread others. Athlete’s foot is an example of fungi. To get rid of fungal infections, such as toenail fungus, you take medicine by mouth.
Objectives:
· Name four causes of infectious diseases
· Describe how to prevent the spread of common infectious diseases
· Be able to name two ways to protect yourself against infectious disease
· Explain two ways to control the spread of infectious diseases
Terms to Know:
· Virus
· Bacteria
· Protozoa
· Fungi
There is more than one cause for infectious diseases. A virus is a cause of some common infectious diseases. A tiny disease-causing particle that invades a cell to multiple is called a virus. A virus is not a living thing. It is so small it can only be seen with a microscope. Some viruses are harmless, while other viruses cause diseases.
EXAMPLES OF VIRUSES
· Flu and Cold
· Herpes
· AIDS
· Chickenpox
· Mumps
· Measles
Vaccines can prevent some viruses. A vaccine is a medicine that contains killed or weakened pathogens and protects you against a particular disease. They stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies. An antibody is a chemical that your body produces to fight invading pathogens.
Another cause of disease is bacteria. Bacteria are living things. They are more complex than viruses. They are small, single celled organisms without a nucleus. Most bacteria can not live on their own, but are found everywhere. Most are harmless and are helpful to humans (such as the kind that live in your intestines). Humans can’t live without bacteria. But some bacteria can cause serious illness.
SOME DISEASE IN HUMANS CAUSED BY BACTERIA:
· Whooping Cough
· Cholera
· Anthrax
· Tooth decay
· Some kinds of Food Poisoning
Bacteria can be controlled by washing your hands and by keeping your kitchen clean. It can also be controlled by not sharing drinking glasses, eating utensils and if the water supply has harmful bacteria in it, the water must be boiled or treated with chemicals. Most bacterial diseases can be treated with antibiotics. An antibiotic is a medicine used to stop the growth of or kill the bacteria.
WAYS THAT VIRUSES SPREAD
Direct Contact, touching a person
Indirect Contact, sneezing, objects (drinking glasses, insects)
Protozoa and fungi cause some diseases. Protozoa are single celled organisms that have a nucleus. They are more complex than bacteria. Most protozoa are harmless but some cause illness. Some protozoa are parasites. A parasite is an organism that gets it food from another organism, called a host. Protozoa can be found in water and carried by insects. Antibiotics can treat protozoa and other parasites. Fungi are complex organisms that cannot make their own food. They break down other substances and absorb their nutrients. Fungi are everywhere. Most fungi are harmless, but some cause diseases. Person to person contact spreads some fungi. Spores in the air, water or soil spread others. Athlete’s foot is an example of fungi. To get rid of fungal infections, such as toenail fungus, you take medicine by mouth.