Unit 12: Diseases and Infection

Unit 12: Diseases and InfectionLearning aim, A: Investigate different types of diseases and infections that can affect humans A1 Pathogens and infectious diseases A.P1 Explain the characteristics of the five main types of pathogens and a disease caused by each. • Pathogens – types and characteristics, life cycle and actions: The five types of pathogens are bacteria, parasites, viruses, fungi and protozoa. Bacteria are pathogens that are prokaryotic, it lacks cell nucleus and other cell parts and are less complex compared to other organisms. Bacteria reproduces quickly and cause damage to human cell when it enters the human body because it produces toxins. It causes disease such as tuberculosis, strep throat, urinary tract infections Bacteria Parasites are organisms that either live in or on another organism. It lives on the organism of another species and feeds on the other organism at their expense. Examples of parasites are round worms, tape worms and flukes. These are passed it human when people take water that has been contaminated. The diseases cause by parasites are trichomoniasis, giardiasis and toxoplasmosis. Endoparasites