1) Communicable Diseases

What are pathogens?

Microorganisms that cause disease, leading to communicable diseases in plants and animals.

How do bacteria make you feel ill?

They produce toxins that damage cells and tissues.

How do viruses reproduce?

They live inside cells, use the cell's machinery to replicate, and then cause the cell to burst, releasing new viruses

What are protists, and how can they cause disease?

Single-celled eukaryotes, some of which are parasites that cause damage to their hosts, often spread by vectors.

How do fungi spread disease?

Fungi can produce hyphae that penetrate skin or plant surfaces and spread via spores

How can pathogens spread through water?

Pathogens like those causing cholera can spread through drinking contaminated water.

How do airborne pathogens spread?

They can be inhaled, especially in droplets from sneezes or coughs, like the flu virus

What is an example of a disease spread through direct contact?

Athlete's foot, a fungal infection, spreads by touching contaminated surfaces like shower floors.

How do viruses differ from bacteria in size and structure?

Viruses are much smaller than bacteria (about 1/100th the size) and are not cells; they require a host cell to reproduce.

What is a vector in the context of disease spread?

A vector is an organism that carries and transmits a pathogen to another organism, often without being affected by the disease itself. An example is mosquitoes transmitting malaria.