Non-communicable diseases and communicable diseases

• A communicable disease is usually caused by a microorganism such as bacteria, virus, or fungus and can be passed from one organism to another
• An infectious disease is another term for a communicable disease
• A non-communicable disease is usually caused by lifestyle or genetic abnormalities and is not passed from one organism to another
• A person free from both types of disease is described as being healthy
• The presence of disease affects society as unhealthy individuals may not be able to work and require care
• The NHS spends billions of pounds per year treating and looking after sick people
• Most of the NHS budget is spent on medicine and the salaries of doctors and nurses
• Viral communicable diseases:
• HIV (leading to AIDS):

  • Microorganism: Virus
  • Spread: Exchange of body fluids during sex, infected blood
  • Prevention: Using a condom, drug addicts not sharing needles
  • Control: Drugs currently control the condition
• Cold/flu:

  • Microorganism: Virus
  • Spread: Airborne
  • Prevention: Flu vaccination
• Human papilloma virus (HPV):

  • Microorganism: Virus
  • Spread: Sexual contact
  • Prevention: HPV vaccination (offered to 12–13 years old girls and boys), protects women and girls against cervical cancer
• When white blood cells detect antigens they make antibodies which attach to the antigen.
• Malaria affects the body by causing fever, chills, headaches, and muscle aches.
• An organ is a group of tissues working together to perform a specific function.
• The heart is an example of an organ that pumps blood around the body.
• The respiratory system includes the nose, trachea, bronchi, lungs, and diaphragm, involved in breathing and gas exchange.
• Benign tumours are non-cancerous and do not spread to other parts of the body.
• Malignant tumours are cancerous and can spread to other parts of the body
• Pathogens infect a host, reproduce themselves or replicate, spread from their host and infect other organisms.
• Rose black spot disease is characterised by the appearance of purple or black spots on the leaves, which eventually turn yellow and die.