Infectious Diseases

Key Issues

Titles

Chapters

• active and passive immunity
• An example is the MMR vaccine used to protect children against measles, mumps and rubella
• Antibiotics
• Antibiotics cannot be used to kill viral pathogens, which live and reproduce inside cells
• Antibiotics, including penicillin, are medicines that help to cure bacterial disease by killing infective bacteria inside the body
• antibodies and antigens
• Bacteria and viruses may reproduce rapidly inside the body and may produce poisons (toxins) which make us feel ill
• blood-clotting
• describe how new antibiotics are tested and trialed before being used on patients
• evaluate data about the effectiveness of vaccines
• evaluate data on the use of the MMR vaccine, and discuss how opinions based on science can change over a period of time
• explain how harmful microorganisms are spread by blood
• explain how harmful microorganisms are spread by droplets in air
• explain how harmful microorganisms are spread by dust
• explain how harmful microorganisms are spread by faeces
• explain how harmful microorganisms are spread by insects
• explain how harmful microorganisms are spread by touch
• explain how putting small quantities of dead or weakened microorganisms into the blood causes the production of antibodies to specific diseases
• explain how, for each method of transmission, the spread of microorganisms is reduced
• explain that antibiotics are used to kill some bacterial micro-organisms but do not kill viruses
• explain that our skin is a barrier to infection, and explain that blood clotting bridges that barrier if the skin becomes broken
• explain that when a person gets a disease the body produces chemicals called antibodies that attack the microorganisms causing the disease
• explain why a course of antibiotics is sometimes useful when a patient has suffered from a viral disease to treat secondary bacterial infections
• explain why girls are especially encouraged to be immunised against rubella
• Immunisation and Vaccination
• interpret data that scientists use to track the outbreak and spread of a disease
• interpret data to assess the suitability of an antibiotic
• interpret simple data about the effectiveness of vaccines in fighting disease
• It is difficult to develop drugs which kill viruses without also damaging the body's tissues
• know the work of Jenner limited to the development of smallpox vaccine
• know the work of Pasteur, limited to spontaneous generation and the Swan Neck experiment
• Many strains of bacteria, including MRSA, have developed resistance to antibiotics as a result of natural selection
• Microorganisms that cause infectious disease are called pathogens
• MRSA
• mucous membranes in the respiratory system
• Painkillers
• Pathogens
• People can be immunised against a disease by introducing small quantities of dead or inactive forms of the pathogen into the body (vaccination)
• recall examples of infection caused by fungi (athlete's foot, ringworm)
• recall examples of infections caused by bacteria (tuberculosis; infections from Staphylococcus aureus)
• recall examples of infections caused by viruses in humans (measles; mumps; rubella; polio)
• recall examples of infections caused by viruses in other animals (foot and mouth)
• recall how harmful microorganisms are spread by animals
• recall how harmful microorganisms are spread by blood
• recall how harmful microorganisms are spread by droplets in air
• recall how harmful microorganisms are spread by dust
• recall how harmful microorganisms are spread by faeces
• recall how harmful microorganisms are spread by touch
• recall that antibiotics are obtained from microorganisms
• recall that in some instances the immune system cannot fight disease and chemicals called antibiotics (against bacteria) are required
• recall that in some instances the immune system cannot fight disease and chemicals called antifungals (against fungi) are required
• recall that in some instances the immune system cannot fight disease and chemicals called antivirals (against viruses) are required
• recall that some bacteria and all viruses are examples of microorganisms that cause disease
• recall that the first antibiotic was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928
• recall that we are immunised against: MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)
• recall that we are immunised against: TB (tuberculosis); polio
• recall that we can cause our bodies to produce antibodies to fight off diseases by immunisation
• recall that when a person gets a disease, the body produces chemicals called antibodies that attack the microorganisms causing the disease
• recall three examples of diseases caused by microorganisms
• recall ways to protect against harmful microorganisms (antiseptics)
• recall ways to protect against harmful microorganisms (heat and radiation)
• recall ways to protect against harmful microorganisms (isolation)
• recall ways to protect against harmful microorganisms (personal hygiene)
• recall ways to protect against harmful microorganisms (protective clothing)
• recall ways to protect against harmful microorganisms (using disinfectants)
• Some medicines, including painkillers, help to relieve the symptoms of infectious disease, but do not kill the pathogens
• The body has different ways of protecting itself against pathogens
• This makes the person immune to future infections by the microorganism, because the body can respond by rapidly making the correct antibody, in the same way as if the person had previously had the disease
• To prevent further resistance arising it is important to avoid over-use of antibiotics
• Toxins
• understand that disease can be caused by bacteria, e.g. Gonorrhea, Salmonella
• understand that disease can be caused by fungi, e.g. Athlete's foot
• understand that disease can be caused by viruses, e.g. AIDS (HIV)
• understand the defence mechanisms of the body including the role of the skin
• Vaccines stimulate the white blood cells to produce antibodies that destroy the pathogens
• Viruses damage cells in which they reproduce
• White Blood Cells
• White blood cells help to defend against pathogens: by ingesting pathogens
• White blood cells help to defend against pathogens: by producing antibodies which destroy particular bacteria or viruses
• White blood cells help to defend against pathogens: by producing antitoxins which counteract the toxins (poisons) released by pathogens