Pathogens and Disease
These are microorganisms or agents that cause disease.
Pathogens
This is the spread of a pathogen through coughing, sneezing, or droplets in the air.
airborne or droplet transmission
This is the body’s first line of defence and includes the skin and mucous membranes.
physical and chemical barriers
This medical strategy exposes the body to antigens so immunity can develop without causing the full disease.
Vaccination
This is the study of how diseases spread, can be controlled, and affect populations
epidemiology
Name the four main types of pathogens students study in infectious disease.
bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, prions, protozoan
This type of transmission occurs when contaminated food or water spreads disease.
Food and water borne or vehicle transmission
These white blood cells engulf and digest pathogens.
phagocytes
Washing hands, sterilising equipment, and isolating infected individuals are all examples of this.
prevention and control measures
A sudden increase in disease cases in one area is called this.
outbreak
This type of pathogen is not made of cells and must reproduce inside a host cell.
Virus
Mosquitoes spreading malaria is an example of this type of transmission.
Vector transmission
These proteins or molecules on a pathogen trigger an immune response.
What are antigens
These medicines are used to treat bacterial infections, though overuse can create problems.
What are antibiotics
When an infectious disease spreads across many countries or continents, it is called this.
pandemic
This term describes a disease that can be transmitted from one organism to another.
This term describes the first infected individual identified in an outbreak investigation.
What is the index case or patient zero
These are produced by B cells and bind specifically to antigens.
antibodies
This is when bacteria evolve so that antibiotics are no longer effective against them.
antibiotic resistance
Scientists often track incidence and prevalence. Incidence refers to this.
the number of new cases of a disease in a population over a given time
Explain the difference between a pathogen and a vector
What is a pathogen as a disease causing agent, while a vector is an organism that carries and transmits the pathogen between hosts
Distinguish between direct transmission and indirect transmission.
direct transmission involving immediate transfer from one host to another, while indirect transmission involves an intermediate source such as air, water, food, surfaces, or vectors
Explain the difference between the innate immune response and the adaptive immune response.
the innate response being rapid and non specific, while the adaptive response is specific to particular antigens and involves memory cells for faster future response
Explain why antibiotics do not work against viruses.
viruses reproduce inside host cells and do not have the cellular structures or metabolic pathways that antibiotics target in bacteria
Explain why identifying the causative agent, transmission method, and susceptible populations is important in managing infectious disease outbreaks.
because it helps scientists and health authorities develop targeted treatments, prevention strategies, quarantine procedures, and public health responses to reduce spread and protect at risk groups