Immune system, Epidemics, Pandemics, Medicine, Vaccines. Science 8

How does the body protect us from pathogens?

The body system that protects us against pathogens and infections has several layers of defense to protect us from pathogens.

What are the four transmission Methods for pathogens? Provide examples for each.

Direct contact: Shaking hands or sharing drinking containers.

Indirect Contact: Being near an infected person who coughs or sneezes without covering his/her mouth.

Water and Food: Eating foods such as eggs and raw chicken that are infected with Salmonella bacteria, and drinking water infected with E. coli bacteria can also result in serious illness.

Animal bites: Being bitten by an animal carrying the rabies virus.

What is the first line of defense? What do they do?

The first line of defense includes the skin and linings of internal body systems. The skin is a physical barrier to keep pathogens from entering the body. Sweat and natural body acids kill some pathogens on the surface of skin.

Your skin is waterproof so it is easy to way off pathogens from it.

Lining of the respiratory system.

What traps pathogens and how does your body remove them?

Hair in your nose and throat trap some pathogens and move them back out of your body. Pathogens get caught in mucus, produced by the respiratory system. When you cough, sneeze, and swallow you remove the mucus and therefore the pathogens from your body.

What are the contents and linings of the digestive system? What do they do?

If you eat food that contains pathogens, your stomach acid can stop you from getting sick. Strong defenses in your immune system fight many types of pathogens. Mucus in the digestive system, traps pathogens that are removed by peristalsis removes them from your body.

What can your digestive system do?

Your digestive system can help stop you from getting sick.

What is the second line of defense? What do they do?

The second line of defense are the bodies white blood cells (WBCs): They surround and kill pathogens that get by the first line of defense. Some WBC's release chemicals that make it easier for other WBCs to kill pathogens.

Inflammation: A process that causes a part of your body to become red and swollen. Thins occurs if you have an injury or a infection. White blood cells move into the area, killing pathogens and stopping the infection from spreading. When a part of the body is inflamed, it becomes hot and red as blood flow increases. It becomes swollen as fluid floods the tissues.

What is the third line of defense? What does it do?

The third line of defense uses specialized white blood cells to fight a pathogen. In the future, if the same pathogen enters the body these cells can respond quickly by making sure you don't get sick again. The third line of defense is also called the acquired immune resopnse because we develop it over time.

What is another name for the third line of defense?

The acquired immune response. (Because we develop it over time)

What are vaccinations?

A vaccine is a substance that causes a response in the body that protects it against a specific disease.

How do you receive a vaccine?

A vaccine may be injected, taken orally, or through the nose.

What age group are vaccines usually given to?

They are usually given to babies or children according to a schedule based on age.

What response can vaccines do to your body?

Vaccines cause an immune response from the body which results in the immune system "remembering" the exposure/response to the pathogen.

What happens if a person is exposed to the same pathogen after being vaccinated?

If a person is exposed to that same pathogen after being vaccinated, the immune system recognizes it and immediately begins to defend the body against it.

Does a vaccinated person get sick from being exposed to a pathogen?

A vaccinated person does not get sick from being exposed to the pathogen and is said to have immunity against the disease.

Do certain vaccines require a booster shot after a certain time? If so, give one example of one and explain the benefits.

Some vaccines, such as the one for tetanus, require a booster shot every 10 years. This additional vaccine increases antibody production and extends the immune system recognition of the antigen.

What is a antigen?

a toxin or other foreign substance which induces an immune response in the body, especially the production of antibodies.

What is a pathogen? Provide examples.

A pathogen is any organism that causes disease. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites are all examples of pathogens.

What shots do you receive for booster shots and what grade?

You receive the booster shot for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis in gr.9 (You receive the first around 4-6 years old)

What are all the different types of vaccines?

Inactivated Vaccine, Live Attenuated Vaccine, Subunit/Conjugate Vaccine, and Toxoid Vaccine.

What is a Inactivated Vaccine? (What does it contain and what does it result in, what does it trigger, does it need a booster to keep immunity, examples.)

A Inactivated Vaccine contains microbes killed with heat, chemicals or radiation which results in a weaker response from the immune system. A booster is needed to keep immunity and this vaccine triggers an immune response without causing illness. Some examples include Hepatitis A, rabies, and whooping cough vaccines.

What is a Live Attenuated Vaccine? (What does it contain, are the microbes weakened and where, what does the immune system do in response, examples.)

Live Attenuated Vaccine's contain living microbes were are weakened in a laboratory. The immune system fights the microbes and provides a strong, often lifelong, immunity against the disease after only 1 or 2 doses. Some examples include measles, mumps, chicken pox, and yellow fever vaccines.

What is a Subunit/ Conjugate Vaccine? (What is used to make the vaccine and are they separated, is immunity provided immediately, what are flue shots made out of , examples.)

Certain pieces are used to make the Subunit/Conjugate Vaccine. The pieces are separated from the microbe or made in a laboratory and the immunity is provided after several doses. Flue shots may be made using proteins from the surface of the virus. Examples: Hepatitis B, flu vaccine.

What is a Toxoid Vaccine? (What is it made out of and what does the laboratory do to them, are booster shots needed, examples.)

The Toxoid Vaccine is made using toxins that some bacteria produce, these toxins are inactivated in a laboratory so they no longer contain the disease. Booster shots are needed to keep strong immunity. Examples: diphtheria and tetanus.

What do Influenza vaccines cause and how long does it take for antibodies to develop?

Influenza vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination.

Flu season in Canada runs from _________ to _________ in B.C., flu shots are available as early as __________

Flue season in Canada runs from December to February in B.C., flu shots are available as early as October.

What are Influenza Vaccines designed to protect?

Influenza Vaccines are designed to protect against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming influenza season.

Why are Influenza vaccines needed every year? Does the effectiveness of these vaccines increase or decrease over time?

An influenza vaccine is needed every year because the viruses are constantly changing each year. Effectiveness of influenza vaccine decreases over time.

How well does the vaccine work? Does it vary season to season?

It depends on how well the vaccine matches the circulating flue strains in that season.

Will Flu shots get you sick?

Flu shot is a subunit vaccine so people will not get sick from the vaccine.

Do vaccines only protect the people getting vaccinated?

Vaccines do not just protect the people getting vaccinated; they protect everyone around them too. The more people in the community getting vaccinated, the less likely the disease will spread.

Give an example of herd immunity.

If a person is infected and only comes in contact with people who are vaccinated, the disease will have little opportunity to spread.

What is herd immunity?

When most people are vaccinated which results in unvaccinated people being protected, it is called herd immunity.

Who are the most vulnerable? (Hint: 3 kinds of people)

Children, elderly, people with underlying health conditions.

What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are substances that fight infections by interfering with the life process of bacteria.

How do antibiotics fight infections?

They can either kill the bacteria or they prevent them from growing or reproducing.

Are antibiotics specific?

Antibiotics are specific as they are only effective against specific types of bacteria.

Are antibiotics useful against infections caused by viruses or other microbes?

Antibiotics are not useful against infections caused by viruses or other microbes.

What is Penicillium notatum?

Penicillium chrysogenum (formerly known as Penicillium notatum) is a species of fungus in the genus Penicillium.

What was Penicillium notatum used for?

Penicillium notatum was used to treat soldiers in World War II with bacterial infections.

What are superbugs?

Super bugs (antibiotic resistant bacteria) These develop because bacteria rapidly reproduces and mutates making themselves resistant to antibiotics.

GIve all three levels of infections.

Epidemic, Outbreak, Pandemic.

What is a Endemic? (Give 2 examples)

A endemic is a disease or virus or other health concern that is constantly present in a given location or population . The number of affected individuals is low and does not significantly increase or decrease over time. Some examples consist of Chickenpox, and malaria.

What is a Epidemic?

A epidemic is the occurrence of disease cases above the normal amount expected for a population in a defined area. It has a sudden and rapid rise in a particular region or population. The seasonal flu behaves more like an epidemic because cases spike at certain times of the year.

How many lives did Yellow fever and Cholera claim?

Yellow fever killed approx. 5000 people in Philadelphia in 1793. Cholera has killed over 152,000 Americans. It is still prevalent and fatal in many parts of the world.

What is a Pandemic?

A pandemic is a epidemic that has spread over several countries or continents, or around the world. It is not limited to a specific geography or population and it usually affects a significant amount of people.

Give examples of pandemics throughout history:

HIVAIDs claimed the lives of over 36 million people since 1981. There are over 30 mil. Cases still prevalent.

Spanish Flu infected approx. 500 million with an estimated mortality rate of 10-20 percent.

Bubonic Plague spread across Europe, Asia and Africa. It killed an est. of 75-200 million people.

COVID-19 is what?

COVID-19 is a ongoing global pandemic that started December 2019. It is caused by the SARS-CoV-Z or severe acute respiratory syndrome vrius--that is transmitted through the air. Symptoms include: Fever, cough, tiredness, loss of taste or smell. The World Health Organization (HWO) Has currently confirmed 777 million cases and 6.8 million confirmed deaths.

Do Endemics, Epidemics, and Pandemic's have social and economic impacts on human populations?

Both epidemic and pandemic can have social and economic impacts on human populations.

Natural resistance who has it?

There is always some people who have a natural resistance to pathogens and survive.

When did the repeated outbreaks of measles and small pox start?

Starting around 300 CE, there were repated outbreaks of measles and small pox over hundred of years in Europe.

Do people's ability to fight off pathogens increase over time?

Over time people's ability to fight the pathogens increased.

Did some populations of people in Europe build immunity to meales and small pox?

Yes, they built immunity to these diseases.