preventing and treating disease

• Which non-specific systems prevent pathogens from entering the body?

  Skin; cilia and mucus; stomach acid
• What are three functions of white blood cells?

  Phagocytosis; producing antibodies; producing antitoxins
• What occurs during phagocytosis?

  Phagocyte engulfs and digests a pathogen
• What are antigens?

  Proteins on the surface of a pathogen
• Why are antibodies considered a specific defense?

  They must match a pathogen's unique antigens
• What is the function of an antitoxin?

  Neutralize toxins produced by pathogens
• What does a vaccine contain?

  Dead or inactive form of a pathogen
• How does vaccination protect against specific pathogens?

  Stimulates antibody production for rapid response
• What is herd immunity?

  When most of a population is vaccinated
• What are antibiotics?

  Drugs that kill bacteria
• What do painkillers do?

  Relieve pain and treat disease symptoms
• Which properties of new drugs are clinical trials designed to test?

  Toxicity, efficacy, and optimum dose
• What happens during the pre-clinical stage of a drug trial?

  Drug tested on cells, tissues, and animals
• What is a placebo?

  Medicine with no effect in a trial
• What defines a double-blind trial?


  Neither patients nor doctors know treatments