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26 Dec 2025

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3 pages

Understanding Health and Disease: A Basic Guide

Mathmagican

@mathmagcian

Ever wondered why you get ill and how diseases spread?... Show more

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# Health and Disease

What is health?
Health is complete pysical, mental and social wellbeing. There are many factors that affect
health.

D

Health and Disease Basics

Health isn't just about not being sick - it's having complete physical, mental and social wellbeing. Your lifestyle choices like diet, sleep, exercise, stress levels and drug use all play a massive role in keeping you healthy.

When harmful microorganisms called pathogens invade your body, they can cause disease. These tiny troublemakers come in four main types: bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists.

Diseases spread through five main routes: vectors (like mosquitoes), contaminated water, direct touch, infected food, and through the air when people cough or sneeze.

Bacteria are microscopic single-celled organisms that you can't see without a microscope. They're more complex than viruses and contain structures like ribosomes, chromosomal DNA, cell membranes, and sometimes flagella for movement. When bacteria invade your body, they release harmful toxins that make you feel unwell.

Quick Tip: Remember that not all bacteria are bad - many are actually helpful and live naturally in your body!

Viruses and Fungi

Viruses are much smaller than bacteria and work differently. Instead of just releasing toxins, they're like cellular hijackers - they invade your cells and force them to make copies of the virus. This continues until your poor cell becomes so packed with viruses that it literally explodes, spreading more viruses throughout your body.

A virus structure includes an envelope protein, viral genome (their genetic material), nucleocapsid, and viral tegument. Think of them as tiny, very efficient copying machines.

Fungi are more complex organisms, and whilst many species exist, only some cause human disease. Unlike bacteria and viruses, fungal infections can sometimes be contagious, spreading directly from person to person through contact.

Fungal cells are quite sophisticated, containing organelles like nuclei, mitochondria, ribosomes, and vacuoles - similar to your own cells but with some key differences like having cell walls.

Did You Know: Athlete's foot and thrush are common fungal infections you might have heard of!

Protists - The Sneaky Pathogens

Protists are single-celled organisms that can cause some really nasty diseases. These clever pathogens often contaminate food and water, leading to severe intestinal infections that can make you very ill indeed.

Many protists are parasitic, which means they live in or on other organisms (like you!) and benefit at your expense. The most famous example is malaria, which kills hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year.

Protist cells are quite complex for single-celled organisms. They contain structures like chloroplasts (in some species), nuclei, flagella for movement, eyespots for detecting light, and contractile vacuoles that help them survive in different environments.

What makes protists particularly dangerous is their ability to adapt and survive in harsh conditions. They can often survive outside the human body for extended periods, making them excellent at spreading through contaminated water sources.

Stay Safe: Always drink clean water when travelling abroad, as protist infections are more common in areas with poor sanitation!

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26 Dec 2025

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3 pages

Understanding Health and Disease: A Basic Guide

Mathmagican

@mathmagcian

Ever wondered why you get ill and how diseases spread? Understanding health and disease is crucial for protecting yourself and others from harmful microorganisms called pathogens.

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Health and Disease Basics

When harmful microorganisms called pathogens invade your body, they can cause disease. These tiny troublemakers come in four main types: bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists.

Diseases spread through five main routes: vectors (like mosquitoes), contaminated water, direct touch, infected food, and through the air when people cough or sneeze.

Quick Tip: Remember that not all bacteria are bad - many are actually helpful and live naturally in your body!

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Viruses and Fungi

A virus structure includes an envelope protein, viral genome (their genetic material), nucleocapsid, and viral tegument. Think of them as tiny, very efficient copying machines.

Fungal cells are quite sophisticated, containing organelles like nuclei, mitochondria, ribosomes, and vacuoles - similar to your own cells but with some key differences like having cell walls.

Did You Know: Athlete's foot and thrush are common fungal infections you might have heard of!

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Protists - The Sneaky Pathogens

Stay Safe: Always drink clean water when travelling abroad, as protist infections are more common in areas with poor sanitation!