San Francisco de Paula, Science Department.
  • Department Home page
    • The International Baccalaureate
    • Conceptual learning
    • How will I be assessed?
    • Primary Science Club
    • Science Activities Noticeboard
  • MYP Year 6
    • Yr 6 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Unit 1: Introduction to investigation >
        • How to write Lab Reports
      • Unit 2: Living things
      • Unit 3: Classification of living things
      • Unit 4: Fungi, Protists and Bacteria
      • Unit 5: Nutrition I
    • Laboratory and Tasks
  • MYP Year 7
    • Yr 7 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • 7º PAI en español
      • Unit 1 - What do scientists do? >
        • How to write a lab report
        • SI Units
      • Unit 2 - The Earth in the Universe
      • Unit 3: How can we study living things >
        • Unit 3a - Living things
        • Unit 3b - The Diversity of Life >
          • Monera
          • Protists
          • Fungi
          • The Plant Kingdom
          • The Animal Kingdom
      • Unit 4 - Ecosystems & Biodiversity
      • Unit 5: The systems of the Earth >
        • Unit 5a - The Geosphere and the Atmosphere
        • Unit 5b - The hydrosphere and the Biosphere
      • Unit 6: Our changing home >
        • Unit 6a: Internal Geodynamics
        • Unit 6b: External Geodynamics
    • Laboratory & Tasks
  • MYP Year 8
    • Yr8 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Units 1, 2 and 3 - Measuring Matters >
        • Unit 1 Physical quantities and Scientific Activity >
          • Converting Units
        • Unit 2 Matter and its Properties
        • Unit 3 Pure Substances and Mixtures >
          • Concentration and units (g/L, % mass)
      • Units 4 and 5 - Chemical Cooking >
        • Models of the Atom
        • Electronic structure of matter.
        • Periodic table (distribution of elements).
        • Chemical formulation
        • Molecular mass
        • Moles
        • Types of reactions
        • Lavoisier's law: Balancing of equations
        • Reaction rates: Factors that affect the speed of a reaction
      • Units 6, 7 and 8 - Move It! >
        • Unit 6 - Motion (URM)
        • Unit 6 - Motion (UARM)
        • Unit 7 - Forces and Mass
        • Unit 8 - Energy and Transformations
    • Laboratory & Tasks >
      • How to write a lab report
  • MYP Year 9
    • Yr9 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Unit 1 - General organization of the human body, health and illness >
        • Human cells: levels of organisation
        • Health and types of diseases
        • Preventing diseases
        • The Immune System
        • Transplants
        • Addictive substances and associated substances
        • Complete Unit 1
      • Unit 2 - Nutrition >
        • Nutrition and nutrients
        • The Mediterranean diet
        • The anatomy and physiology of the digestive system
        • The anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system >
          • Revision quizzes
        • The anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system
        • The anatomy and physiology of the excretory system
        • Nutrition Documentaries
      • Unit 3 - Interaction and Coordination >
        • The function and anatomy of the nervous system
        • The endocrine system
      • Unit 4 - The reproductive system >
        • Anatomy and physiology of the human reproductive system.
        • Gametogenesis
        • Menstrual cycle
        • Fertilization
        • Infertility, contraception and STDs
      • Unit 5 - Genetics >
        • DNA and genetic modification
        • Cells and Inheritance
        • MORE ON MITOSIS VS MEIOSIS
        • Mendelian genetics
      • Unit 6 - Evolution >
        • Evolutionary theories
        • Evolution Simulators
      • EXTRA Unit 7 - Ecology and the environment >
        • Ecology
    • Laboratory & Tasks
  • MYP Year 10
    • Yr10 Syllabus
    • Contents >
      • Unit 0 - Formulation
      • Unit 1 - Scientific Activity
      • Unit 2 - Kinetic theory
      • The Atmosphere
      • Unit 3 - Mixtures and pures substances: Colligative properties
      • Unit 4 - The structure of matter
      • Unit 5 - Stoichiometry
      • Unit 6 - Redox Reactions
      • Unit 7 - Movement
      • Unit 8 - Forces
      • Unit 9 - Electricity
      • Unit 10 - Energy
    • Revision
    • Assessments and Lab Sessionss >
      • Assessments >
        • Criterion D - Water crisis
      • Session 1 - Paper balls
      • Sessions 2 - Properties of substances
      • Session 3 - Preparing a Schlenk tube
      • Session 4 - Gas constant
      • Session 5 - Colligative properties
      • Session 6 - Job´s method
      • Session 7 - Redox titration
      • Session 8 - UARM
      • Session 9 - Hooke´s Law
    • PISA questions
  • DP Biology SL
    • Contents >
      • Topic 1: Cell biology >
        • 1.1 Introduction to cells
        • 1.2 Ultrastructure of cells
        • 1.3 Membrane structure
        • 1.4 Membrane transport
        • 1.5 The origin of cells
        • 1.6 Cell division
      • Topic 2: Molecular biology >
        • 2.1 Molecules to metabolism
        • 2.2 Water
        • 2.3 Carbohydrates and lipids
        • 2.4 Proteins
        • 2.5 Enzymes
        • 2.6 Structure of DNA and RNA
        • 2.7 DNA replication, transcription and translation
        • 2.8 Cell respiration
        • 2.9 Photosynthesis
      • Topic 3: Genetics >
        • 3.1 Genes
        • 3.2 Chromosomes
        • 3.3 Meiosis
        • 3.4 Inheritance
        • 3.5 Genetic modification and biotechnology
      • Topic 4: Ecology >
        • 4.1 Species, communities and ecosystems
        • 4.2 Energy flow
        • 4.3 Carbon cycling
        • 4.4 Climate change
      • C: Ecology and conservation >
        • C.1 Species and communities
        • C.2 Communities and ecosystems
        • C.3 Impacts of humans on ecosystems
        • C.4 Conservation of biodiversity
      • Topic 5: Evolution and biodiversity >
        • 5.1 Evidence for evolution
        • 5.2 Natural selection
        • 5.3 Classification of biodiversity
        • 5.4 Cladistics
      • Topic 6: Human physiology >
        • 6.1 Digestion and absorption
        • 6.2 The blood system
        • 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
        • 6.4 Gas exchange
        • 6.5 Neurons and synapses
        • 6.6 Hormones, homeostasis and reproduction
    • Labs >
      • Statistical analysis
    • Previous to 2015 >
      • Topic 1: Statistical analysis
      • Topic 2: Cells >
        • 2.1 Cell theory
        • 2.2 Prokaryotic cells
        • 2.3 Eukaryotic cells
        • 2.4 Membranes
        • 2.5 Cell division
      • Option F: Microbes and biotechnology >
        • F1 Diversity of microbes
        • F2 Microbes and the environment
        • F3 Microbes and biotechnology
        • F4 Microbes and food production
      • Topic 5: Ecology and evolution >
        • 5.1 Communities and ecosystems
        • 5.2 The greenhouse effect
        • 5.3 Populations
        • 5.4 Evolution
        • 5.5 Classification
      • Option D: Evolution >
        • D1 Origin of life on Earth
        • D2 Species and speciation
        • D3 Human evolution
      • Topic 3: The chemistry of life >
        • 3.1 Chemical elements and water
        • 3.2 Carbohydrates, lipids and proteins
        • 3.3 DNA structure
        • 3.4 DNA replication
        • 3.5 Transcription and translation
        • 3.6 Enzymes
        • 3.7 Cell respiration
        • 3.8 Photosynthesis
        • TO DELETE
      • Topic 4: Genetics >
        • 4.1 Chromosomes, genes, alleles and mutations
        • 4.2 Meiosis
        • 4.3 Theoretical genetics
        • 4.4 Genetic engineering and biotechnology
      • Topic 6: Human health and physiology >
        • 6.1 Digestion
        • 6.2 The transport system
        • 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
        • 6.4 Gas exchange
        • 6.5 Nerves, hormones and homeostasis
        • 6.6 Reproduction
    • Tasks >
      • Databases
    • Documents
    • DP Biology Resources
    • Interesting links
  • Biología 12º
    • Bloque 1. Bioquímica
    • Bloque 2. Biología celular
    • Bloque 3. Genética y evolución
    • Bloque 4. Microbiología y biotecnología
    • Bloque 5. Inmunología
  • IB Biología NS
  • IB Chemistry HL
    • Contents >
      • Year 1 >
        • Topic 0 - Formulation
        • Topic 1 - Stoichiometric relationships
        • Topic 2 and 12 - Atomic structure
        • Topic 3 and 13 - Periodicity
        • Topic 4 and 14 - Chemical structure and bonding
        • Topic 5 and 15 - Energetics
        • Topic 10 and 20 - Organic chemistry
      • Year 2 >
        • Topic 6 and 16 - Chemical kinetics
        • Topic 7 and 17 - Equilibrium
        • Topic 8 and 18 - Acids and bases
        • Topic 9 and 19 - Redox processes
        • Topic 11 and 21 - Measurement and data processing
        • Option D - Medicinal chemistry
    • Lab work >
      • SFP Campus lab reports
      • Internal assessment structure
      • Internal Assessment examples
    • Nature of science
    • General revision
    • Selectividad
    • General information
    • Extended Essay
  • Other resources for students
    • Science Fair
    • Science essays >
      • How to Reference
    • Chemical formulation
    • Laboratory >
      • How to write a lab report
      • Microscopy
      • Excel for graphs and calculations >
        • Calculate the mean and SD
        • Drawing graphs
        • Add error bars to excel graphs
      • Lab videos!
    • Further Reading >
      • Women In Science
      • Infographics
    • Proyecto integrado
  • Department Home page
    • The International Baccalaureate
    • Conceptual learning
    • How will I be assessed?
    • Primary Science Club
    • Science Activities Noticeboard
  • MYP Year 6
    • Yr 6 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Unit 1: Introduction to investigation >
        • How to write Lab Reports
      • Unit 2: Living things
      • Unit 3: Classification of living things
      • Unit 4: Fungi, Protists and Bacteria
      • Unit 5: Nutrition I
    • Laboratory and Tasks
  • MYP Year 7
    • Yr 7 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • 7º PAI en español
      • Unit 1 - What do scientists do? >
        • How to write a lab report
        • SI Units
      • Unit 2 - The Earth in the Universe
      • Unit 3: How can we study living things >
        • Unit 3a - Living things
        • Unit 3b - The Diversity of Life >
          • Monera
          • Protists
          • Fungi
          • The Plant Kingdom
          • The Animal Kingdom
      • Unit 4 - Ecosystems & Biodiversity
      • Unit 5: The systems of the Earth >
        • Unit 5a - The Geosphere and the Atmosphere
        • Unit 5b - The hydrosphere and the Biosphere
      • Unit 6: Our changing home >
        • Unit 6a: Internal Geodynamics
        • Unit 6b: External Geodynamics
    • Laboratory & Tasks
  • MYP Year 8
    • Yr8 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Units 1, 2 and 3 - Measuring Matters >
        • Unit 1 Physical quantities and Scientific Activity >
          • Converting Units
        • Unit 2 Matter and its Properties
        • Unit 3 Pure Substances and Mixtures >
          • Concentration and units (g/L, % mass)
      • Units 4 and 5 - Chemical Cooking >
        • Models of the Atom
        • Electronic structure of matter.
        • Periodic table (distribution of elements).
        • Chemical formulation
        • Molecular mass
        • Moles
        • Types of reactions
        • Lavoisier's law: Balancing of equations
        • Reaction rates: Factors that affect the speed of a reaction
      • Units 6, 7 and 8 - Move It! >
        • Unit 6 - Motion (URM)
        • Unit 6 - Motion (UARM)
        • Unit 7 - Forces and Mass
        • Unit 8 - Energy and Transformations
    • Laboratory & Tasks >
      • How to write a lab report
  • MYP Year 9
    • Yr9 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Unit 1 - General organization of the human body, health and illness >
        • Human cells: levels of organisation
        • Health and types of diseases
        • Preventing diseases
        • The Immune System
        • Transplants
        • Addictive substances and associated substances
        • Complete Unit 1
      • Unit 2 - Nutrition >
        • Nutrition and nutrients
        • The Mediterranean diet
        • The anatomy and physiology of the digestive system
        • The anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system >
          • Revision quizzes
        • The anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system
        • The anatomy and physiology of the excretory system
        • Nutrition Documentaries
      • Unit 3 - Interaction and Coordination >
        • The function and anatomy of the nervous system
        • The endocrine system
      • Unit 4 - The reproductive system >
        • Anatomy and physiology of the human reproductive system.
        • Gametogenesis
        • Menstrual cycle
        • Fertilization
        • Infertility, contraception and STDs
      • Unit 5 - Genetics >
        • DNA and genetic modification
        • Cells and Inheritance
        • MORE ON MITOSIS VS MEIOSIS
        • Mendelian genetics
      • Unit 6 - Evolution >
        • Evolutionary theories
        • Evolution Simulators
      • EXTRA Unit 7 - Ecology and the environment >
        • Ecology
    • Laboratory & Tasks
  • MYP Year 10
    • Yr10 Syllabus
    • Contents >
      • Unit 0 - Formulation
      • Unit 1 - Scientific Activity
      • Unit 2 - Kinetic theory
      • The Atmosphere
      • Unit 3 - Mixtures and pures substances: Colligative properties
      • Unit 4 - The structure of matter
      • Unit 5 - Stoichiometry
      • Unit 6 - Redox Reactions
      • Unit 7 - Movement
      • Unit 8 - Forces
      • Unit 9 - Electricity
      • Unit 10 - Energy
    • Revision
    • Assessments and Lab Sessionss >
      • Assessments >
        • Criterion D - Water crisis
      • Session 1 - Paper balls
      • Sessions 2 - Properties of substances
      • Session 3 - Preparing a Schlenk tube
      • Session 4 - Gas constant
      • Session 5 - Colligative properties
      • Session 6 - Job´s method
      • Session 7 - Redox titration
      • Session 8 - UARM
      • Session 9 - Hooke´s Law
    • PISA questions
  • DP Biology SL
    • Contents >
      • Topic 1: Cell biology >
        • 1.1 Introduction to cells
        • 1.2 Ultrastructure of cells
        • 1.3 Membrane structure
        • 1.4 Membrane transport
        • 1.5 The origin of cells
        • 1.6 Cell division
      • Topic 2: Molecular biology >
        • 2.1 Molecules to metabolism
        • 2.2 Water
        • 2.3 Carbohydrates and lipids
        • 2.4 Proteins
        • 2.5 Enzymes
        • 2.6 Structure of DNA and RNA
        • 2.7 DNA replication, transcription and translation
        • 2.8 Cell respiration
        • 2.9 Photosynthesis
      • Topic 3: Genetics >
        • 3.1 Genes
        • 3.2 Chromosomes
        • 3.3 Meiosis
        • 3.4 Inheritance
        • 3.5 Genetic modification and biotechnology
      • Topic 4: Ecology >
        • 4.1 Species, communities and ecosystems
        • 4.2 Energy flow
        • 4.3 Carbon cycling
        • 4.4 Climate change
      • C: Ecology and conservation >
        • C.1 Species and communities
        • C.2 Communities and ecosystems
        • C.3 Impacts of humans on ecosystems
        • C.4 Conservation of biodiversity
      • Topic 5: Evolution and biodiversity >
        • 5.1 Evidence for evolution
        • 5.2 Natural selection
        • 5.3 Classification of biodiversity
        • 5.4 Cladistics
      • Topic 6: Human physiology >
        • 6.1 Digestion and absorption
        • 6.2 The blood system
        • 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
        • 6.4 Gas exchange
        • 6.5 Neurons and synapses
        • 6.6 Hormones, homeostasis and reproduction
    • Labs >
      • Statistical analysis
    • Previous to 2015 >
      • Topic 1: Statistical analysis
      • Topic 2: Cells >
        • 2.1 Cell theory
        • 2.2 Prokaryotic cells
        • 2.3 Eukaryotic cells
        • 2.4 Membranes
        • 2.5 Cell division
      • Option F: Microbes and biotechnology >
        • F1 Diversity of microbes
        • F2 Microbes and the environment
        • F3 Microbes and biotechnology
        • F4 Microbes and food production
      • Topic 5: Ecology and evolution >
        • 5.1 Communities and ecosystems
        • 5.2 The greenhouse effect
        • 5.3 Populations
        • 5.4 Evolution
        • 5.5 Classification
      • Option D: Evolution >
        • D1 Origin of life on Earth
        • D2 Species and speciation
        • D3 Human evolution
      • Topic 3: The chemistry of life >
        • 3.1 Chemical elements and water
        • 3.2 Carbohydrates, lipids and proteins
        • 3.3 DNA structure
        • 3.4 DNA replication
        • 3.5 Transcription and translation
        • 3.6 Enzymes
        • 3.7 Cell respiration
        • 3.8 Photosynthesis
        • TO DELETE
      • Topic 4: Genetics >
        • 4.1 Chromosomes, genes, alleles and mutations
        • 4.2 Meiosis
        • 4.3 Theoretical genetics
        • 4.4 Genetic engineering and biotechnology
      • Topic 6: Human health and physiology >
        • 6.1 Digestion
        • 6.2 The transport system
        • 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
        • 6.4 Gas exchange
        • 6.5 Nerves, hormones and homeostasis
        • 6.6 Reproduction
    • Tasks >
      • Databases
    • Documents
    • DP Biology Resources
    • Interesting links
  • Biología 12º
    • Bloque 1. Bioquímica
    • Bloque 2. Biología celular
    • Bloque 3. Genética y evolución
    • Bloque 4. Microbiología y biotecnología
    • Bloque 5. Inmunología
  • IB Biología NS
  • IB Chemistry HL
    • Contents >
      • Year 1 >
        • Topic 0 - Formulation
        • Topic 1 - Stoichiometric relationships
        • Topic 2 and 12 - Atomic structure
        • Topic 3 and 13 - Periodicity
        • Topic 4 and 14 - Chemical structure and bonding
        • Topic 5 and 15 - Energetics
        • Topic 10 and 20 - Organic chemistry
      • Year 2 >
        • Topic 6 and 16 - Chemical kinetics
        • Topic 7 and 17 - Equilibrium
        • Topic 8 and 18 - Acids and bases
        • Topic 9 and 19 - Redox processes
        • Topic 11 and 21 - Measurement and data processing
        • Option D - Medicinal chemistry
    • Lab work >
      • SFP Campus lab reports
      • Internal assessment structure
      • Internal Assessment examples
    • Nature of science
    • General revision
    • Selectividad
    • General information
    • Extended Essay
  • Other resources for students
    • Science Fair
    • Science essays >
      • How to Reference
    • Chemical formulation
    • Laboratory >
      • How to write a lab report
      • Microscopy
      • Excel for graphs and calculations >
        • Calculate the mean and SD
        • Drawing graphs
        • Add error bars to excel graphs
      • Lab videos!
    • Further Reading >
      • Women In Science
      • Infographics
    • Proyecto integrado
San Francisco de Paula, Science Department.
Concepts of Health and Illness
Concepts of Health and Illness  

            According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a healthy life is not just a life without disease. A healthy life presents a complete sense of well-being including physical, mental and social well-being.

The physical, mental and social states of a person are in continuous interaction. Therefore, a change or alteration in any of the three could cause an imbalance leading to disease.

Four main factors should be considered when talking about being healthy and free of diseases.
  • a) A healthy environment, that is to say, an environment for example, without pollution, noise, dangerous animals and violence.
  • b) Healthy habits and life style.
  • c) Hereditary factors and age.
  • d) A Health system that can help prevent the appearance of illness.


What is an illness?

When a part of our body is altered and cannot carry out its functions normally, we say that we are ill. An ill person will show a series of symptoms of the disease. These symptoms are subjective and only the patient perceives them. Some include feeling dizzy, tired or in pain. Signs, on the other hand are more objective and can be seen/measured by others, such as: fever, vomiting, swollen areas, sudden rises or drops of blood pressure, abnormal parameters in blood tests or electrocardiograms etc.

There are many different diseases. Some are physical diseases, others are mental and others social. We must classify diseases into different groups in order to study them. There are different criteria we could use for disease classification; however, we will focus on two: the cause or agent which provokes the disease, and by how often we suffer the illness:

Classification of illnesses

Classification of illnesses due to the cause or agent that provokes them:

There are two basic types of diseases: Infectious and non-infectious. 

Infectious diseases are those caused by other living organisms, which are called pathogens (or pathogenic organisms), usually micro-organisms such as bacteria or viruses. An infectious disease is passed on from one individual to another. For example AIDS, or the flu.

Non-infectious diseases may have a number of causes, but are not caused by a pathogen. A non-infectious disease is not passed on from one individual to another. For example, cancer or depression.

Classification of diseases by how often we suffer them:

Some diseases are acute, meaning that they happen in a limited time span, such as the flu. However, others are chronic, developing slowly and often lasting for the rest of someone's life, such as arthritis. 

We could also talk about: 

Sporadic diseases, which happen occasionally. E.g. Heart attack, blood clot (thrombus or stroke), etc. 

Endemic diseases being those that only affect a particular area. E.g. malaria, in tropical regions.

Epidemic:
 when large numbers of people suffer it in a short period of time. E.g. The flu at certain times of the year. If an epidemic spreads throughout many countries or even world-wide, it is called a pandemic (E.g. AIDS).

Infectious diseases timeline

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Infectious diseases (Some background of interest: Heterotrophic organisms can be: symbiotic – if they live in association with another organism; saprophytes (or saprotrophs) – if they feed on dead organic matter in decomposition; and parasites – they live on the body of a host and cause it some harm).

As mentioned above infectious diseases are caused by a living organism (pathogen), usually a micro-organism, or by a substance (a toxin) released by it. Remember, that not all bacteria are pathogenic. Bacteria are unicellular prokaryotic organisms. Most of them are saprophytes or symbiotic organisms, and only a few species are parasitic, causing diseases. 
There are even some bacteria which are beneficial to humans, such as those found in our digestive track, which help with the formation of faeces and the production of vitamins.

Picture
Picture
(Sandle, 2015)                                                                                              (Huttenhower.sph.harvard.edu, 2013)                                    
Hint: Are the above images too small to read the text? 

If so, hold Ctrl and press "+", or hold Ctrl and roll the top wheel on your mouse to zoom-in.

Types of pathogenic micro-organisms

*  Some bacteria cause diseases (as most of them are saprophytes or symbiotic organisms, and only a few species are parasitic). Some diseases caused by bacteria are: pneumonia, tuberculosis, salmonella, tetanus, cholera and diphtheria.

* Some protozoans (unicellular organisms) such as PlasmodiumPlasmodium, which causes malaria, or Trypanosoma which causes  sleeping sickness.

* Fungi. Can be unicellular or multicellular organisms, and the illnesses caused by fungi are called mycosis. E.g. .Athlete's foot, candidiasis (oral or genital thrush), seborrhoeic dermatitis.

* Viruses: Diseases caused by a virus are called virosis. Viruses are not considered ‘alive’ as they are not made of cells, and they cannot survive and reproduce outside the cells of their host. A typical virus has genetic material and a protein coat, and sometimes there is a lipid layer that envelopes the protein coat. They do not have any cellular structure. All viruses are pathogens, being responsible for many of the most serious human diseases. Some important viral diseases are: the flu, measles, AIDS, and rubella.

How are infectious diseases passed on from one individual to another?

Infectious diseases are contagious as the micro-organisms that provokes them are passed on from one individual to another. There are six different ways by which infectious diseases can be transmitted:

  • Direct contact. Such as sexual transmitted diseases (STD's) e.g. syphilis. 
  • Objects. Such as a handkerchief, a glass, saliva etc. e.g. tetanus
  • Water. Such as cholera.
  • Contaminated foods. Such as salmonella.
  • Air. Such as the flu.

Transmission vectors, which are animals that do not have the disease but transmit it, by introducing in a healthy individual of another species the micro-organism that causes the disease. E.g. Malaria is transmitted by the mosquito Anopheles, which carries the parasite Plasmodium. Also sleeping sickness, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma, which is transmitted by the tsetse fly.
Use this link to play various games to explore infectious diseases.
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