Human Defences Against Communicable Disease

Remember:
 A pathogen is an organism that causes a disease for example the bacterium called Salmonella enterica
causes the disease called food poisoning.
 Our body has ways of keeping pathogens out and combating them if they manage to get in.

1. Write a list of as many ways as you can think of that pathogen can enter the human body.
**Type your answer here**

Non-specific Defence
To do:
 Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X9MklLVhlw
 Use the video and p.90 of the textbook to answer the following questions

2. The skin acts as a physical barrier to pathogens. Explain what happens if the skin is cut.
**Type your answer here**

3. What does your skin produce to kill pathogenic microorganisms that might land on it?
**Type your answer here**

4. The skin is covered with microorganisms that do not cause disease. How do these non-pathogenic
microorganisms prevent disease?
**Type your answer here**

5. How do the hairs and mucus in your nose prevent the entry of pathogens into the body?
**Type your answer here**

6. How do the trachea and bronchi prevent the entry of pathogens?

**Type your answer here**

7. How does the stomach kill pathogens on food?

**Type your answer here**

Specific Defence: The Immune System

To do:
 Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSrrPdJDqxM
 Use the video and p.91 of the textbook to answer the following questions

8. Complete the paragraph below by filling in the gaps.

Sometimes pathogens can get past the body’s non-specific defences. When pathogens get into our body,
our immune system fights the pathogens in three main ways:
 Some types of white blood cells ____________ (take in) and digest pathogens to kill them. This
process is called phagocytosis.
 Some types of white blood cells produce special ____________ called antibodies. Antibodies target
particular bacteria or viruses and ____________ them. You need a ____________ antibody for each
 pathogen. Pathogens have molecules, called antigens, on their surface. Each pathogen will have
antigens with a particular shape. The specific antibodies that work against that particular antigen have
a ____________ that matches that antigen.
 Some white blood cells produce ____________. These counteract the toxins released by the
pathogen.

9. Match the word with a definition (they are mixed up right now). If you are using Word you can use an
arrow (go to ‘insert’ – ‘shapes’) or ‘cut and paste’ somehow.

Word Definition
Pathogen A chemical made by a white blood cell that cancels out a toxin
released by a pathogen
Antigen A disease-causing organism

Antibody The ingestion and digestion of a pathogen by a white blood cell

Antitoxin A chemical produced by a white blood cell that specifically

attaches to a particular antigen and destroys a pathogen
Phagocytosis A molecule on the surface of a pathogen that triggers the
immune response

Extension Work
Select what you want to do from the list (you can do more than one).

A. Watch this video about how SARS-CoV-2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DGwOJXSxqg

B. Watch video about phagocytosis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNrD8uPPf4w

But note:
 The video title says that white blood cells ‘eat’ pathogens… don’t use that word… say that white
blood cells ‘ingest and digest’ pathogens
 Some of the film has live action but much of it is animation.

C. Research one if the following:

i. How HIV weakens the immune system.
ii. An ‘autoimmune’ diseases e.g. arthritis (there are others)
iii. The names and jobs of different kinds of blood cells
iv. Factors that affect how well a person’s immune system works
For the topic you chose:
 Write a paragraph in your own words
 List your references in detail