Disease
Pathogens
Virus – made of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat.
Bacteria – have a cell wall, no nucleus, loose DNA, no mitochondria and flagellum to move.
Protists – mainly unicellular, a random mix of different things that don’t fit into a category.
Fungi – have a nucleus, cell wall and vacuole. Like a plant cell but have no chloroplasts.
How They Work
Once bacteria and viruses are in your body they reproduce rapidly. This is how they make
you ill. Bacteria produce toxins which affect your body. Sometimes they directly damage
your cells. Viruses enter and take over the cells of your body, we call these cells, host cells.
Once inside, these viruses reproduce rapidly, damaging and destroying cells. Common
disease symptoms are high temperature and rashes. These are caused by the damage and
toxins produced by the pathogens. They symptoms also appear as a result of the way your
body responds to the damage and toxins. You catch an infectious disease when you pick up
a pathogen from someone who is infected with the disease.
Spread of Disease
Air Droplet Infection – when you cough, sneeze or talk you expel droplets full of pathogens.
Other people breathe them in and become infected.
By Water – drinking water containing sewage can spread disease. We’re taking large
numbers of pathogens to our gut.
Direct Contact – direct contact of the skin or genitals (sexually transmitted).
Break in Skin – pathogens can enter your body through cuts and scratches.
Ignaz Semmelweis
1st July 1818 – 13th August 1865
Hungarian Doctor
Worked in Maternity Department of Vienna Hospital
Noticed cases of puerperal fever was the highest in his ward
Found cases decreased when doctors washed their hands before treating patients
Doctors worked with corpses and then pregnant women
He concluded that something was being transferred
Spoke publicly about his theories but they were dismissed
His idea went against current scientific opinion
Pathogens
Virus – made of genetic material surrounded by a protein coat.
Bacteria – have a cell wall, no nucleus, loose DNA, no mitochondria and flagellum to move.
Protists – mainly unicellular, a random mix of different things that don’t fit into a category.
Fungi – have a nucleus, cell wall and vacuole. Like a plant cell but have no chloroplasts.
How They Work
Once bacteria and viruses are in your body they reproduce rapidly. This is how they make
you ill. Bacteria produce toxins which affect your body. Sometimes they directly damage
your cells. Viruses enter and take over the cells of your body, we call these cells, host cells.
Once inside, these viruses reproduce rapidly, damaging and destroying cells. Common
disease symptoms are high temperature and rashes. These are caused by the damage and
toxins produced by the pathogens. They symptoms also appear as a result of the way your
body responds to the damage and toxins. You catch an infectious disease when you pick up
a pathogen from someone who is infected with the disease.
Spread of Disease
Air Droplet Infection – when you cough, sneeze or talk you expel droplets full of pathogens.
Other people breathe them in and become infected.
By Water – drinking water containing sewage can spread disease. We’re taking large
numbers of pathogens to our gut.
Direct Contact – direct contact of the skin or genitals (sexually transmitted).
Break in Skin – pathogens can enter your body through cuts and scratches.
Ignaz Semmelweis
1st July 1818 – 13th August 1865
Hungarian Doctor
Worked in Maternity Department of Vienna Hospital
Noticed cases of puerperal fever was the highest in his ward
Found cases decreased when doctors washed their hands before treating patients
Doctors worked with corpses and then pregnant women
He concluded that something was being transferred
Spoke publicly about his theories but they were dismissed
His idea went against current scientific opinion
