Microbes and Drugs
Key Words
Immunity – when white blood cells can respond rapidly to produce specific antibodies
against a disease-causing organism should it re-enter the body.
Antitoxin – a protein made by a white blood cell capable of neutralising a specific biological
toxin.
Antibody – a protein made by white blood cells, that attaches to foreign antigens.
Pathogen – a disease causing microorganism.
White Blood Cell – makes antibodies to attack unknown antigens.
Antigens – unique identifying proteins on the surface of a cell.
Vaccination – treatment with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease, inoculation.
Small amounts of dead or inactive pathogen are put into your body, often by injection.
Vaccination Programme – a series of vaccinations, including the timing of all doses and are
compulsory, it’s country wide and large scale.
Herd Immunity – the resistance to the spread of contagious disease. If a large portion of the
population has immunity, the disease may disappear.
Epidemic – a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular
time, in a particular place.
Pandemic – a worldwide epidemic of an infectious disease.
Vaccination
1) Dead or inactive pathogens are introduced into the body,
commonly by injection.
2) White blood cells in the body produce antibodies in response to the antigens from the
vaccine. The antibodies destroy the antigens with no risk of you getting the disease.
3) As a result, if the pathogen enters your system, your immune system can produce
antibodies quickly as if you are naturally immune to the disease.
If the pathogens were alive or active, the patient would get the disease.
The antigens trigger an immune response as our lymphocytes regard them as foreign.
Vaccination makes us immune to infectious diseases as the body can respond rapidly, as
the white blood cells can form memory cells, and the memory cells can rapidly produce
, complimentary antibodies upon reinfection by stimulating antibody production. When
the antibody binds to the antigen it can destroy it.
MMR
MMR vaccine was introduced in 1988, it protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
Pros and Cons
Pros Cons
It prevents the spread of disease. Needle contamination can spread disease.
Vaccines have saved billions of lives. Said to cause autism.
Scientifically proven not to cause autism. Expensive to produce and conduct large
scale.
When most are vaccinated there is a herd People are afraid of needles and therefore
immunity where spread is reduced. more reluctant to be immunised
Far lower risk of being infected with Some may not get injections due to small
infectious diseases such as malaria, polio scale publications and their shock factor
and hepatitis B. e.g. Andrew Wakefield autism.
Not always effective
Can cause small side affects
Evaluation
Was there a large enough sample size?
Was a control used?
Was bias involved?
Was there scientific evidence to back up statements?
Was the statement generalised?
Medicine
Medicines contain useful drugs. However, some medicines don’t affect the pathogen that is
causing the illness, they just help to relieve symptoms. Only antibiotics help to destroy the
pathogen, these include methicillin, amoxicillin and penicillin (which is broad spectrum –
wide range). Many drugs such as paracetamol are pain killers and only relieve the symptoms
of the illness.
Antibiotics cannot kill viral pathogens only bacteria, they are a medicinal drug that is used to
destroy bacteria. Antibiotics can’t treat viral infections as viruses enter your body cells (host
cells) and the antibody can’t reach the virus.
Fleming and Penicillin
In the 1920s, Alexander Fleming was searching for an effective antiseptic. In 1928, he came
a cross of pile of petri dished which contained bacteria that he had forgotten about. He
realised that penicillium notatum mould was growing on it. All around the mould the
Key Words
Immunity – when white blood cells can respond rapidly to produce specific antibodies
against a disease-causing organism should it re-enter the body.
Antitoxin – a protein made by a white blood cell capable of neutralising a specific biological
toxin.
Antibody – a protein made by white blood cells, that attaches to foreign antigens.
Pathogen – a disease causing microorganism.
White Blood Cell – makes antibodies to attack unknown antigens.
Antigens – unique identifying proteins on the surface of a cell.
Vaccination – treatment with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease, inoculation.
Small amounts of dead or inactive pathogen are put into your body, often by injection.
Vaccination Programme – a series of vaccinations, including the timing of all doses and are
compulsory, it’s country wide and large scale.
Herd Immunity – the resistance to the spread of contagious disease. If a large portion of the
population has immunity, the disease may disappear.
Epidemic – a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a community at a particular
time, in a particular place.
Pandemic – a worldwide epidemic of an infectious disease.
Vaccination
1) Dead or inactive pathogens are introduced into the body,
commonly by injection.
2) White blood cells in the body produce antibodies in response to the antigens from the
vaccine. The antibodies destroy the antigens with no risk of you getting the disease.
3) As a result, if the pathogen enters your system, your immune system can produce
antibodies quickly as if you are naturally immune to the disease.
If the pathogens were alive or active, the patient would get the disease.
The antigens trigger an immune response as our lymphocytes regard them as foreign.
Vaccination makes us immune to infectious diseases as the body can respond rapidly, as
the white blood cells can form memory cells, and the memory cells can rapidly produce
, complimentary antibodies upon reinfection by stimulating antibody production. When
the antibody binds to the antigen it can destroy it.
MMR
MMR vaccine was introduced in 1988, it protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
Pros and Cons
Pros Cons
It prevents the spread of disease. Needle contamination can spread disease.
Vaccines have saved billions of lives. Said to cause autism.
Scientifically proven not to cause autism. Expensive to produce and conduct large
scale.
When most are vaccinated there is a herd People are afraid of needles and therefore
immunity where spread is reduced. more reluctant to be immunised
Far lower risk of being infected with Some may not get injections due to small
infectious diseases such as malaria, polio scale publications and their shock factor
and hepatitis B. e.g. Andrew Wakefield autism.
Not always effective
Can cause small side affects
Evaluation
Was there a large enough sample size?
Was a control used?
Was bias involved?
Was there scientific evidence to back up statements?
Was the statement generalised?
Medicine
Medicines contain useful drugs. However, some medicines don’t affect the pathogen that is
causing the illness, they just help to relieve symptoms. Only antibiotics help to destroy the
pathogen, these include methicillin, amoxicillin and penicillin (which is broad spectrum –
wide range). Many drugs such as paracetamol are pain killers and only relieve the symptoms
of the illness.
Antibiotics cannot kill viral pathogens only bacteria, they are a medicinal drug that is used to
destroy bacteria. Antibiotics can’t treat viral infections as viruses enter your body cells (host
cells) and the antibody can’t reach the virus.
Fleming and Penicillin
In the 1920s, Alexander Fleming was searching for an effective antiseptic. In 1928, he came
a cross of pile of petri dished which contained bacteria that he had forgotten about. He
realised that penicillium notatum mould was growing on it. All around the mould the
