A2.3 Disease (HL)

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to viruses, their structure, life cycles, and implications for health and treatment.

Equilibrium

A state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced.

Pathogen

A disease-causing agent that can be cellular (living) or non-cellular (non-living).

Virus

A non-living pathogen that infects living host cells and lacks metabolism and the ability to replicate independently.

Capsid

The protein coat that encloses a virus.

Lytic Cycle

The process by which a virus replicates, ultimately destroying the host cell.

Lysogenic Cycle

The process in which a virus integrates its genetic material into the host cell’s DNA, allowing the host to reproduce with viral sequences.

Antigenic Drift

The gradual accumulation of mutations in a virus, leading to new strains.

Antigenic Shift

A process by which cells infected with multiple viruses exchange genetic material, creating new virus subtypes.

Helical, Polyhedral, Spherical, Complex

Different shapes for classifying viruses based on the arrangement of proteins in the capsid.

Mutation Rate

The frequency at which a virus undergoes genetic mutations, impacting its evolution.

Vaccine

A biological preparation that provides acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.

Quarantine

The isolation of individuals to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Genetic Engineering

The direct manipulation of an organism's genes using biotechnology.

Obligate Intracellular Parasite

An organism that can only reproduce within a host cell.

Virion

A complete virus particle that consists of genetic material encased in a protein coat.