Pathogen
microscopic organisms that cause disease
Infectious Disease
a disease that's caused by the presence of a living thing in your body
Toxin
a poison produced by a bacterial pathogen that damages cells indirectly
What causes infectious disease?
When you have infectious disease, pathogens have gotten inside your body and caused harm.
What are the four major types of human pathogens?
The four major groups of human pathogens are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists.
What are the four main ways in which pathogens can be transmitted or spread?
Pathogens can spread through contact with either an infected person; soil, food, or water; a contaminated object; or an infected animal.
Inflammatory Response
the body's second line of defense that's triggered when body cells are damaged
Phagocyte
a white blood cell that engulfs pathogens and destroys them by breaking them down
Immune Response
the body's third line of defense that is triggered when you have a fever
Lymphocytes
white blood cells that distinguish between different kinds of pathogens
T Cells
a type of lymphocyte that identifies pathogens and distinguishes them from one another (some attack)
antigens
molecules that the immune system recognizes either as part of your body or as coming form outside your body
B Cells
a type of lymphocyte that produces proteins to help destroy pathogens
Antibodies
the proteins that are produced by B cells
AIDS
(acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) a disease that is caused by a virus that attacks the immune system
HIV
(human immunodeficiency virus) the virus that causes AIDS
Barriers help trap and kill most pathogens we come into contact with-what are the human body's barriers?
In the first line of defense, the surfaces of the skin, breathing passages, mouth, and stomach function as barriers to pathogens.
What happens during the inflammatory response? Is it a specific response or a general response?
In the inflammatory response, fluid and white blood cells leak from blood vessels into nearby tissues. The white blood cells then fight the pathogens. (general)
Describe the immune response, is that specific of general?
The cells of the immune system can distinguish between different kinds of pathogens. The immune systems cells react to each king of pathogen with a defense targeted specifically at that pathogen.
Immunity
the body's ability to destroy pathogens before they can cause disease
Active Immunity
a reaction that happens when the body has already proceed that antibodies that fight the disease pathogens before
Passive Immunity
when antibodies are given to a person because the person's immune system doesn't make them
Vaccination
(immunization) the process by which harmless antigens are deliberately introduced into a person's body to produce active immunity
Vaccine
the substance used in a vaccination that consists of pathogens that have been weakened or killed but can still trigger the immune system into action
Antibiotic
a chemical that kills bacteria or slows their growth with out harming the body's cells
Noninfectious Diseases
diseases that are not caused by pathogens in the body
Allergy
a disorder in which the immune system is overly sensitive to a foreign substance not normally found in the body
allergen
any substance that causes an allergy
Histamine
a chemical that's responsible for the symptoms of an allergy, such as sneezing and watery eyes
Asthma
a disorder in which the respiratory passages narrow significantly
Insulin
enables body cells to take in glucose from the blood and use it for energy
Diabetes
a condition where the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin or the body's cells fail to produce insulin
Tumor
abnormal tissue mass that could or might not be cancerous
Carcinogens
a substance or factor in the environment that can cause cancer
How do allergies develop?
An allergy develops in response to various foreign substances that set off a series of reactions in the body.
What are symptoms and consequences of diabetes.
losing weight, feeling weak, being hungry, having to got pee a lot, feeling thirsty, blindness kidney failure, and heart disease
How can the risks of cancer be reduced?
The environment may contain carcinogens. To reduce the risk of cancer, carcinogens need to be removed or people need to be protected from them.
Name three environmental carcinogens.
ultraviolet light, vinyl chloride, and arsenic