L2 - AIDS, Chlamydia and Malaria

• AIDS is caused by the human immuno deficiency virus.
• AIDS is spread through blood to blood contact e.g. in sexual intercourse or sharing needles
• If infected with AIDS, you can take antiviral medication to stop the virus multiplying inside you, but must be taken for life.
• HIV destroys white blood cells called lymphocytes. This weakens your immune system and sufferers get ill from pathogens such as tuberculosis and pneumonia
• Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection. Caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis
• If Chlamydia is left untreated, infection can pass to baby during birth causing conjunctivitis and lung infections.
• Antibiotics such as tetracycline or erythromycin can treat Chlamydia
• Using condoms protects you from catching an STI such as Chlamydia
• Malaria is caused by a single celled protist with the genus name Plasmodium
• Malaria is transferred by female mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles
• Malaria causes fever as Plasmodium destroys the red blood cells
• Treatment and prevention of malaria includes:

  • Antimalarial drugs e.g. daraprim
  • Vaccines
  • Pesticides
  • Mosquito nets and repellents