DISEASE AND MAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 1

Types of diseases 2-3

Vectors 4-5

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) 6-7

The Role of Blood in the body 8

Principles of Immunization against Communicable Diseases 9

Physiological Effects of certain drugs 10

Social and Economic Effects of Substance Abuse 11

Social and Economic Implications of disease in plants and animals 12

 INTRODUCTION

What is a disease?

A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, or plant, especially one that produces
specific symptoms or that affects a specific location and is not simply a direct result of physical
injury.

The focus of this project is disease and how it affects man. It will cover topics about disease such
as types of disease, their causes and symptoms and their method of treatment, vectors (which
play a key role of spreading a disease), method of treatment used to control a disease transmitted
by a vector, the role of blood when It comes to defending the body, Principles of Immunization
against communicable diseases, AIDS and its causative agents modes of transmission and
method of control.

It also discusses the physiological effects of the abuse of Marijuana, Alcohol and Caffeine, the
social and economic effect of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), substance abuse and
disease in plants and animals
 TYPES OF DISEASES

Physiological diseases- this occurs when the usual roles of a person’s body are affected by the
malfunctioning of organs or the changing of cell structure over time.

Example: Diabetes, Asthma

Cause of Diabetes: a chronic condition associated with abnormally high levels of sugar
(glucose) in the blood.

Symptoms: increased urine output, excessive thirst, weight loss, hunger, fatigue, skin problems,
slow healing wounds, yeast infections, and tingling or numbness in the feet or toes.

Method(s) of treatment: Type 1 diabetes is managed with insulin as well as dietary changes
and exercise. Type 2 diabetes may be managed with non-insulin medications, insulin, weight
reduction, or dietary changes.

Hereditary diseases- a disease when one’s DNA sequence is changed or mutated.

Example: Sickle cell anemia, Diabetes and Hypertension

Cause of sickle cell anemia: a disorder of the blood caused by an inherited abnormal
hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein within the red blood cells).

Causes of hypertension: age, race, family history, being overweight or obese, not being
physically active, using tobacco, too much salt (sodium) in your diet, too little potassium in your
diet, drinking too much alcohol, stress.
Symptoms: fatigue and anemia, pain crises, Dactylitis (swelling and inflammation of the hands
and/or feet) and arthritis, bacterial infections, sudden pooling of blood in the spleen and liver
congestion, lung and heart injury, leg ulcers, aseptic necrosis and bone infarcts (death of portions
of bone), eye damage.

Method(s) of Treatment: antibiotics, vitamins, blood transfusions, pain-relieving medicines,

other medications and possibly surgery, such as to correct vision problems or to remove a
damaged spleen.
Deficiency diseases- diseases caused by the lack of a vitamin or mineral in the diet.

Examples: xerophthalmia (vitamin A), rickets(vitamin D), beriberi(thiamin), pellagra(niacin),

scurvy(vitamin C), iron-deficiency anemia (iron), goitre (iodine)

Method(s) of treatment: Treatment involves eating a healthy diet and taking folic
acid supplements as prescribed by the doctor.

Pathogenic diseases- diseases caused by viruses, bacteria and other types of germs.

Examples: tuberculosis, AIDS, ringworm

Method(s) of treatment: antibiotics and vaccines

 VECTORS

What is a vector?

An organism that does not cause a disease itself, but which spreads infection by conveying
pathogens from one host to another.

What is the role of a vector?

Mosquitoes serve as the secondary/intermediate host. The pathogen is reproduced in the

secondary host but causes it no harm. Since they are unharmed by the pathogen, they serve as
reservoirs in which the pathogens can multiply and be continually spread to humans. Mosquitoes
ensure the continued survival and transmission of these pathogens.

METHOD OF TREATMENT AND CONTROL OF MOSQUITOES

Mosquito larvae and pupae can be controlled by:

1. Draining all areas of standing water

2. Adding insecticides to breeding areas
3. Biological control- example: introducing the Tilapia fish to breeding areas, thus causing
the fish to feed on the mosquitoes.
4. Spraying oil, kerosene or nontoxic lecithins onto still-water breeding areas which
prevents breathing
Adult mosquitoes can be controlled by:

1. Removing dense vegetation to reduce protection

2. Spraying with insecticides
 SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STDs)

Sexually transmitted diseases are infections that are passed on during sexual intercourse.

Example: HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, syphilis and genital herpes.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF STDs

Social:

Disease within the human population can cause loss of earnings as victims are unable to work,
demands on health services increase as more people have to seek treatment and the persistence of
social stigma towards STD acts as a barrier to treatment-seeking.

Economic:

A measure of the economic burden of STDs thus indicates the quantity of resources that would
be available for other purposes if they were not used to address STDs. The actual source of funds
may be the government, individuals, or other parties such as insurers. In some cases, resources
may be used with no accompanying transfer of money.

Sexually Causative agents Modes of Methods of

Transmitted transmission control
Disease
AIDS HIV- Human Unprotected sexual Test all cases,
Immunodeficiency intercourse with an especially pregnant
Virus infected person. women.

Using infected Set up education

hypodermic needles programmes.
or cutting instruments.
Use condoms during
Transfusion of sexual intercourse.
infected blood
 products. Use sterile injections
for all injections.
Infected mother to
baby during
pregnancy and breast
feeding.
Gonorrhoea Bacterium- Neisseria Mother to the eyes of Test all cases,
Gonorrhoeae her baby during especially pregnant
childbirth which leads women.
to blindness if not
treated. Set up education
programmes.
Unprotected sexual
intercourse with an Use condoms during
infected person. sexual intercourse
 THE ROLE OF BLOOD IN THE BODY

Blood contains white blood cells that defend the body against foreign materials, infections and
abnormal cells. The platelets in blood enable the clotting of blood (coagulation). When bleeding
occurs, the platelets group together to create a clot. The clot becomes a scab and stops the
bleeding, as well as helping to protect the wound from infection.
 PRINCIPLES OF IMMUNIZATION AGAINST COMMUNICABLE
DISEASES

Immunity to communicable diseases is provided from immunization. This is achieved by

injecting, or administering orally, small amounts of dead or weakened antigens into the body.
This is called vaccination. The body is stimulated to produce antibodies. Often a second booster
injection is given to stimulate a faster and longer-lasting production of antibodies.
 PHYSICOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CERTAIN DRUGS

 Alcohol- slurred speech, impaired mental functioning, loss of muscular co-ordination,

increased excretion leading to dehydration, nausea and vomiting, loss of consciousness,
possibly violent or aggressive behavior.

 Marijuana- increased heart rate, loss of co-ordination, distorted perception, difficulty in

thinking and problem solving, learning and memory problems, anxiety and panic attacks.

 Caffeine- interferes with proper functioning of the central nervous system (CNS).
 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE

 Loss of man hours, or working time this reduces the productivity of the economy and
causes loss of earnings for the country and reduces standard of living for its people.

 Loss of lives due to drug abuse is the loss of human resources.

 Increased demands on health services and prolonged and expensive care. Research for
cures is also expensive.

 Increase crime and even social unrest

 Drug abuse is also associated with family and neglect.

 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF DISEASE IN PLANTS
AND ANIMALS

“Man is also affected economically by the health of the crops and animals stocks that he grows
for food. Loss of livestock (cows, pigs, chicken, etc.) and (rice, wheat, potatoes, etc.) due to
disease, can have serious economic implications. A disease can greatly reduce or wipeout the
livestock or food crop of an area in short space of time, for example mealy bug infestation in the
Caribbean, and foot and mouth disease in Europe. This results in loss of income for the farmers
and reduction in food availability. Food in the form of livestock and agricultural produce move
throughout the world in ships and airplanes daily. It is therefore very difficult to prevent the
spread of some diseases. Quarantine procedures at ports and airports help but do not prevent the
spread of diseases. Many pathogens are microorganisms, not seen and can exist as spores for a
long period of time.” – extracted from Biology for CSEC Examination by Linda Atwaroo
 Bibliography

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https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/vector_(biology).htm

Tindale A., (2016), Collins CONCISE REVISION COURSE CSEC Biology, HarperCollins
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