Diseases to Know for Unit Exam and AP Exam

A collection of flashcards detailing various diseases, their pathogens, vectors, and characteristics important for exams.

Plasmodium

A protist parasite that causes malaria and is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito.

Cryptosporidium

A protist parasite that causes Cryptosporidiosis and is transmitted through contaminated water.

Wuchereria bancrofti

A nematode parasite that causes Elephantiasis and leads to lymph fluid build-up.

Yersinia pestis

A bacterial pathogen that causes the plague, transmitted by fleas.

Rubeola

The virus that causes measles, characterized by full body rash and high fever.

Schistosoma

A parasite that causes Schistosomiasis, entering the body through contaminated water.

Variola major

The viral pathogen responsible for smallpox; declared eradicated.

Salmonella

A bacterial pathogen causing food poisoning, often from contaminated food.

Borrelia burgdorferi

The bacterium that causes Lyme disease, transmitted by ticks.

Dracunculus medinensis

Nematode parasite causing guinea worm disease, removed by wrapping it around a stick.

Listeria monocytogenes

A bacterial pathogen causing Listeriosis, particularly dangerous for pregnant women.

Clostridium botulinum

The bacterial pathogen causing botulism, leading to muscular paralysis.

Yellow Fever Virus

Viral pathogen transmitted by female Aedes mosquitoes, causing jaundice.

Shigella spp.

Bacterial or amoebic infection causing dysentery associated with bloody diarrhea.

Naegleria fowleri

Parasitic infection from warm freshwater lakes, known as the brain-eating amoeba.

Giardiasis

Disease caused by the protist Giardia lamblia, often transmitted through contaminated water.

Hemorrhagic Fever

Viral infection characterized by severe bleeding and high lethality, originating from Africa.

Zika

A viral disease primarily found in Brazil, transmitted by mosquitoes, associated with birth defects.

Cholera

Bacterial infection transmitted through fecal contamination, leading to severe diarrhea.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Bacterial pathogen causing tuberculosis, posing higher risk in poor living conditions.

Dengue Fever

Viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, also known as break bone fever, characterized by severe pain.

SARS

Viral respiratory disease caused by a new virus identified in 2003.

West Nile

Viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, most infections are asymptomatic.

Anthrax

Bacterial disease found in soil, known for its resistant spores used in bioterror.

Flu

Viral illness known as Influenza, with annual vaccine updates due to new strains.