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Diseases
Objective
Compare the different types of diseases.
Diseases
• A disease is a condition which damages or impairs the health of an
organism.
• Diseases can be classified into four groups:
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Nutritional deficiency diseases
Physiological diseases
Inherited diseases
Infectious diseases
Nutritional deficiency diseases
• These diseases are caused by a lack of one or more nutrient e.g.
vitamins , minerals.
• Nutritional diseases can be treated by eating foods rich in the
nutrient that is missing or by taking supplements such as vitamin
tablets.
• They can be prevented by eating a balanced diet (all food groups in
the correct amounts.
Nutritional deficiency diseases
Name of Deficiency
Cause
Symptoms
Food rich in nutrient
Scurvy
Lack of Vitamin C
Bleeding from gums, loss
of teeth, wounds do not
heal
Citrus fruits, Barbados
cherry, raw green
vegetables
Rickets
Lack of Vitamin D
Soft, weak bones, bow
legs. Poor teeth
Oily fish, eggs,
manufactured in the body
by absorption of sunlight
by skin.
Anaemia
Lack of Iron (vitamin B12
or folic acid)
Reduced number of red
blood cells or
haemoglobin, resulting in
less oxygen reaching your
cells. Therefore you are
tired and lack energy
Liver, kidney, red meat,
egg yolk, green leafy
vegetables
Goitre
Lack of Iodine
Swelling of thyroid gland
in the neck
Seafood, iodised table
salt, cereals and grains,
cow’s milk
Physiological diseases
• These involve the cells, tissues or organs of the body failing to
function properly.
• Physiological diseases include:
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Asthma
Diabetes
Hypertention
Stroke
Glaucoma
Cancer
Physiological Diseases
Disease
Cause
Symptoms
Treatment/ control
Diabetes
Type 1- no insulin is made in the pancreas
Type 2- not enough insulin is made or it
does not work efficiently
Increased blood sugar levels,
excretion of sugar in urine, increased
urination, continual thirst, weight
loss, tiredness, sweet smelling
breath
Healthy lifestyle- control
carbohydrate intake; use
polysaccharides and less
simple sugars.
Type 2- Reduce weight
(regular exercise), tablets to
lower blood sugar levels.
Type 1- regular exercise, daily
injections of insulin
Cancer
Uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells
caused by mutations in genes, resulting in
a tumour. Carcinogens (cancer causing
agents), cause damage to DNA. These
include tobacco and alcohol, X-rays, UV
light, asbestos, food additives, viruses e.g
HPV, genetic factors
Cancers arise in one area of the
body and continue to spread to
other parts.
Breast Cancer:- regular
examination of breast for
lumps, Mammograms,
testing for breast cancer
gene. If cancer found,
surgery to remove tumor or
breasts, chemotherapy
Breast cancer:- begins in cells and
tissue of breasts, results in painless
lump, breast can also become red
and swollen and feel warm. (can
occur in women and men)
Prostrate cancer:- the prostate is a
Prostrate:- regular prostrate
exams. If found surgery,
chemotherapy.
Inherited disorders
• These are conditions passed on through families by defective genes.
• They cannot be cured.
• Sickle cell anaemia is an inherited disorder which results in the red blood
cells having a sickle shape instead of the normal biconcave shape.
• The sickle shaped cells carry little oxygen.
• Symptoms include; joint and abdominal pain, high fever and jaundice. It
can lead to weakness, wasting away (emaciation), kidney and heart failure.
• Treatment & control: during crises patients can be given oxygen, drugs for
pain and blood transfusions. They should avoid situations when oxygen
supply is reduced. Genetic counselling can be done to determine the
probability of passing disease to children.
Haemophilia
• This is another genetic disorder.
• Haemophiliacs bleed continually when cut because their blood does
not clot due to a missing clotting factor.
• These persons need to avoid injuries. If they are injured the must be
treated with drugs or an artificial clotting factor.
Infectious diseases
• These are disease that are easily spread from person to person
directly or via a vector.
• They are caused by pathogenic organisms called pathogens. These
include:
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Viruses: influenza, measles, dengue, herpes, AIDS
Bacteria: gastroenteritis, leptospirosis, syphilis, gonorrhea
Fungi: ringworm, athletes foot
Protozoans: malaria, amoebic dysentery
Parasitic worms: tapeworm, liver fluke, hookworm
Sti’s
Disease
Causitive agent
Symptoms
Treatment/Control
Chlamydia
bacteria
Often none. May cause lower back Antibiotics. If left untreated can lead
pain, nausea, fever
to infertility
Gonorrhoea
bacteria
1st symptoms appear 2-7 days
Antibiotics
after infection in women though
most show no signs. May have
thick cloudy or bloody vaginal
discharge and frequent urination.
Men have thick yellow-green
discharge from the penis, sore and
pain urinating.
Syphillis
bacteria
Painless sores on genitals for 3-6
weeks, swollen gland and rashes
Antibiotics, if left untreated can lead
to blindness and paralysis
AIDS
HIV virus
Persistent cough, fever, rashes,
swollen glands, diorrhoea, wasting
away, weakness.
Secondary infections: pneumonia,
tuberculosis, cancers
No cure
Antiviral drugs to delay onset of
secondary infections.
Use of condoms, only one partner
Acute respiratory infections
Disease
Causative agent
Symptoms
Treatment
Influenza
Virus
Infects mucous
membranes of the
respiratory system and
throat
Headache, fever sore
throat, backache
Warmth, rest, painkillers
Tuberculosis
Bacterium
Infects lungs and other
areas
Cough, later spitting of
blood, patient becomes
thin and pale
BCG vaccine for
prevention
Antibiotics
Pneumonia
Bacterium
Infects throat and lungs
Cough with reddishcoloured sputum, fever,
pain in chest
Antibiotics
Ringworm
• Caused by the fungus Tinea.
• It is spread through contact with floors, towels and skin that carry
spores of the fungus.
• It is identified as red patches of skin with white centres in regions of
the body that are not properly dried; underarms, between upper part
of thighs.
• The areas are itchy and can be treated with antifungal ointments.
Dengue fever and Malaria
• These are two infectious diseases transmitted from person to person
through a vector; the mosquito.
• When the mosquito stings an infected person the blood of the
infected person contains the pathogen.
• The pathogen replicates inside the mosquito but does not harm it.
• However when the mosquito goes to sting another person, it injects
saliva to prevent the persons blood from clotting, which also
introduces the pathogen into the person, who becomes infected.
Disease
Causative agent
Vector
Symptoms
Treatment
Dengue fever Virus
Aedes egypti
mosquito
Headaches, abdominal, joint and
muscle pains, fever, vomiting ,
rash
No vaccine
Fever reducing
drugs, rest and
fluids
Malaria
Anopheles
mosquito
The protozoan damages the red Quinine,
blood cells and release a toxin.
chloroquinine,
This results in anaemia and fever, mepacrine etc.
headaches and pains
Protozoan
Plasmodium