Disease Examples and Pathogens

This section covers various types of diseases caused by different pathogens, including viruses, fungi, protists, and bacteria. It also discusses how these diseases spread and methods to prevent their transmission.

Definition: Pathogens are microorganisms that enter the body and cause disease.

Viral Diseases:

• Measles: Spread through air droplets, causing rash and fever
• HIV: Transmitted through bodily fluids, leading to AIDS
• Tobacco Mosaic Virus: Affects plants, discoloring leaves

Fungal Disease:

• Rose Black Spot: Causes black spots on roses, reducing photosynthesis

Protist Disease:

• Malaria: Transmitted by mosquitoes, causing fever and potentially fatal symptoms

Bacterial Diseases:

• Salmonella: Contaminated food, UK poultry vaccinated against it
• Gonorrhea: Sexually transmitted disease with painful urination

Highlight: Preventing disease spread involves hygiene, vector control, isolation, and vaccination.

Pathogen Characteristics:

• Bacteria: Produce toxins damaging cells/tissues
• Viruses: Replicate inside cells, causing cell damage
• Protists: Single-celled eukaryotes, often transmitted by vectors
• Fungi: Can be single-celled or made of hyphae, producing spores

Vocabulary: Hyphae are fungal structures that grow and penetrate surfaces, causing diseases.

Fighting Disease:

1. First line of defense: Skin barrier, mucus, cilia, stomach acid
2. Immune system: White blood cells attack pathogens through phagocytosis, antibody production, and antitoxin creation

Example: MRSA is an example of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.