Vocabulary
Antigen: any substance release by
Disease: any condition that interferes with the proper functioning of the
body
Communicable: disease that can be passed to a person from another person
Noncommunicable: diseases that cannot be spread from person to person
Pathogens: disease-causing organisms that are so small they can only be
seen through a microscope
Infection: a condition that occurs when pathogens enter the body, multiply,
and cause harm
Immune System: combination of body defenses made up of cells, tissues,
and organs that fight off pathogens and disease.
Immunity: your body’s ability to resist the germs that cause a particular
disease.
invading pathogens
Antibodies: proteins that attach to antigens, keeping them from harming the
body.
Vaccine: preparation of dead or weakened pathogens that causes the
immune system to produce antibodies.
Antibiotics: medicines that reduce or kill harmful bacteria in the body.
Communicable vs Noncommunicable
Communicable can be passed person to person, noncommunicable can’t. Communicable diseases can
be from bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens.
Disease Prevention
Communicable disease can be prevented by avoiding the bacteria. This includes bactyeria and other
pathogens in our food, water, and environment. We can also wash our hands and boost our immune
system to help fight off diseases.
Noncommunicable diseases can be prevented through our lifestyle. Habits including refraining from
drug use, eating healthy, and exercise help us prevent noncommunicable diseases.
Types of Pathogens
Many types of pathogens, but we focused on 4. Bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. Each pathogen
can causes us to get sick and are all cured differently. Examples of each are listed below:
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Bacteria: pink eye, whooping cough, strep throat, TB, Lyme’s disease, most foodborne illness,
bacterial pneumonea
Virus: colds, influenza, chicken pox, measles, mono
Fungi: athlete’s foot
Protozoa: dysentery, malaria
Spreading of Pathogens
Spread of pathogens can be caused by many things including: food not properly cooked, water, direct
and indirect contact with pathogens.
Stopping Pathogens
Diet, exercise, washing hands, cleaning surfaces, safe food preperation
Immune System
Responsible for keeping us healthy. Can be boosted by good sleep, exercise, and eating. Vitamin C is
the most important vitamin for immune system. If immune system is weakened, our bodies cannot fight
off disease as well.
Anitbiotics
Used for bacterial infections and diseases. They are very effective in curing disease, but our becoming
less effective over time. They are less effective because bacteria are beginning to evolve and avoid
being killed by antibiotics. This is due to overuse of the drugs. They are prescription drugs that are
often prescribed too often. Farmers feed them to animals to keep them healthy, which causes
antibiotics to end up in our food.