Fighting disease

Cards (55)

  • What is the main function of the human body's defense system?
    To protect against pathogens
  • What are the two main components of the body's defense system?
    • Physical and chemical barriers
    • Immune system
  • What acts as a physical barrier in the human body?
    Skin
  • How does skin contribute to pathogen defense?
    It secretes oils and antimicrobial substances
  • Through which openings can pathogens enter the body?
    Nose and mouth
  • What adaptations do noses have to prevent pathogen entry?
    Little hairs and mucus
  • What are the two tubes leaving the throat?
    Trachea and esophagus
  • What is the role of mucus in the trachea?
    To trap particles and pathogens
  • What are psyia and their function in the respiratory system?
    Tiny structures that move mucus
  • What does the stomach produce to kill pathogens?
    Hydrochloric acid
  • What is the pH level of stomach contents?
    About 2
  • What happens when pathogens enter the body despite defenses?
    The immune system hunts them down
  • What is the primary type of cell in the immune system?
    White blood cells
  • What are the three important functions of white blood cells?
    1. Phagocytosis (engulfing pathogens)
    2. Producing antitoxins
    3. Producing antibodies
  • What is phagocytosis?
    Engulfing pathogens by white blood cells
  • What do antitoxins do?
    Counteract toxins produced by pathogens
  • What are antigens?
    Foreign substances detected by the immune system
  • What are antibodies?
    Proteins made by white blood cells
  • How do antibodies function in the immune response?
    They bind to antigens and signal for destruction
  • What does it mean to be immune to a disease?
    The body quickly produces antibodies against it
  • How does the immune system remember pathogens?
    • It produces specific antibodies
    • It retains memory of past infections
    • It responds quickly upon re-exposure
  • What is a big part of medicine?
    The use of drugs
  • How much does the NHS spend on medications annually?
    Over seventeen billion pounds
  • What are the two groups of medications?
    • Medications that relieve symptoms
    • Medications that treat diseases
  • What medications might you take for a sore throat?
    Aspirin or paracetamol
  • What do painkillers do for a sore throat?
    Reduce pain and headache
  • What is the role of cough medicine?
    It reduces the need to cough
  • Do painkillers cure the problem of a sore throat?
    No, they only relieve symptoms
  • What do antibiotics do?
    Kill bacteria or prevent their growth
  • Why might antibiotics not help with a sore throat?
    Most sore throats are caused by viruses
  • Why can't antibiotics kill viruses?
    Antibiotics target bacteria, not viruses
  • What is a metaphor used to explain antibiotics' ineffectiveness on viruses?
    Killing a tree with a flyswatter
  • Why is it difficult to destroy viruses?
    They hide within our body cells
  • What must doctors do before prescribing antibiotics?
    Test to identify the type of bacteria
  • What is antibiotic resistance?
    Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics
  • How has the ability to treat diseases changed medicine?
    • Improved quality of life
    • Extended people's lives
    • Multiple drugs can be used simultaneously
  • What is the main takeaway about medications?
    They help treat symptoms and diseases
  • What is the impact of using multiple drugs for treatment?
    Some drugs relieve symptoms, others treat causes
  • What happens to our immune system after exposure to a pathogen?
    It develops immunity to that pathogen
  • Why is it said that we can only catch diseases like chickenpox once?
    Because we develop immunity after the first infection