Why Do We Fall ill (Set - II)

Pneumonia spreads through air. It is an inflammatory condition of the lung affecting primarily the microscopic air sacs known as alveoli. 

The second time, our immune system has memory cells which quickly identify the problem and counter it and thus, eliminate it. This is called immunisation. Immunisation is a method of prevention of disease or infection and it also helps to avoid the spreading of a disease.

Disease-causing organisms, i.e. causative agents are transferred from a diseased person to a healthy person by an organism which itself does not get the disease. Such an agent is called “vector”.

AIDS is a viral disease caused by HIV. The human body cannot develop immunity against it. The antibodies that human immune system makes to fight HIV are not effective. HIV actually targets, invades and then destroys some of the most important cells in the immune system itself. So, no vaccine is effective in preventing AIDS.
 

Anthrax is a bacterial disease and can be cured with antibiotics. All the other are viral diseases and antibiotics are not effective against viral diseases.

Rabies virus is carried by vectors, which contain the virus and transmit it from a diseased person to a healthy person. The vectors for rabies are animals (dogs and cats usually).

Penicillin is an antibiotic obtained from the fungus ‘Penicillium notatum’ and it works against bacteria. Quinine and chloroquine are drugs that are used to treat malaria. Anti-tetanus serum is a vaccine used to prevent tetanus.

AIDS stands for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. It is a disease in which a person’s immune system becomes weak and is unable to fight infections. Hence, the concerned person finally dies due to other infections like common cold, sore throat, flu, etc. At the last stage, the person suffers from physical trauma due to infection and inability to treat it.

An active immune system recruits many cells to the affected tissue to kill off the disease-causing microbes. This recruitment process is called inflammation.

Vaccination is given to an individual in order to prevent a disease. Antibiotics and drugs are given to cure the diseases.

Viruses are not affected by antibiotics as they use the biochemical mechanisms of their host.

Malaria is caused by a protozoan Plasmodium, which is transmitted by a vector, i.e. female anopheles mosquito.

Immunisation is a specific way to prevent a disease as it helps to provide immunity against diseases.

HIV causes Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). As the name suggests, the immune system becomes weak in this disease. Due to this, the person falls prey to many other infections like common cold or diarrhoea. Thus, as a consequence, the person’s nervous, respiratory, muscular or any other system may be affected later on.

Kill the cause of the disease is  a principle of treatment of the disease.

Viruses are not affected by antibiotics as they use the biochemical mechanisms of their host.