DISEASE AND

IMMUNITY
Pathogen : Disease causing organism.

Transmissible disease: Disease in which pathogen can be passed from one host
to another.
Transmissible disease may be transmitted by

Direct contact Indirect contact

Blood or contaminated surface

or body fluids carrier /animals
air (respiratory droplets)
Food and water
Body Defences :

⮚ Mechanical barrier
Structures that prevent pathogens from gaining entry.

• Skin
Thick outer layer of dead cells containing keratin that
prevent pathogens from attaching/ penetrating.
Sweat contain lysozyme.

• Hairs in the nose

Trap the dust which may contain pathogen.
Ciliated cells present.

• A blood clot also prevents the entry through a wound /cut.

⮚ Chemical Barriers

• Mucus
Goblet cells
lining of alimentary canal
Respiratory tract
traps the dust
Cilia sweeps it away

• Stomach Acid
denatures the enzymes in pathogens
kills the pathogens
⮚ Cellular barrier : WBC

Phagocytes

Engulf the antigen

and digest it by the process
of phagocytosis.

Non Specific
Lymphocytes (WBC )

Activated specifically
Produce antibodies
⮚ Vaccination -Immunize against diseases

Process of vaccination
Antigens & Antibodies
• All cells have proteins and other substances projecting
from their cell membrane
• These are known as antigens and are specific to that type
of cell
• Lymphocytes have the ability to ‘read’ the antigens on the
surfaces of cells and recognize any that are foreign
• They then make antibodies which are a complementary
shape to the antigens on the surface of the pathogenic
cell.
• Antibody bind with specific antigen and activates
immune response
✔ Activate phagocytosis
✔ A series of immune reactions.
Active Immunity

• Making own antibodies and developing memory cells for future response to
infection is known as active immunity

There are two ways in which this active immune response happens:
✔ The body has become infected with a pathogen and so the
lymphocytes go through the process of making antibodies specific to
that pathogen
✔ Vaccination

Features
Active immunity is slow-acting and provides long-lasting immunity
Passive Immunity

• This is when ready-made antibodies, from another source, are

introduced to the body/Antibody acquired from another individual.

❖ Passive immunity is a fast-acting, short-term defence against a

pathogen by antibodies acquired from another individual, eg:

✔ From mother to infant via breast milk – this is important as it

helps the very young to fight off infections until they are older and
stronger and their immune system is more responsive

✔ Injected antibodies for certain diseases where the individual is

already infected and a fast response is required,
like rabies or tetanus

❖ The body does not make its own antibodies or memory cells in passive
immunity.
Auto Immunity

• the cells of the immune system start to attack the body’s own cells

• specific body cells are targeted by lymphocytes and antibodies are made
against them, destroying them.

• One example of this type of disease is Type 1 diabetes

• People who suffer from this disease no longer make their own insulin and so
are unable to regulate their blood glucose levels

• their immune system is targeting and destroying the pancreatic cells

which are responsible for making the insulin,

• leading to dangerously high glucose levels in the blood.

Importance of hygiene in controlling the spread of diseases :

Hygienic food production :

• Keep your own bacteria and viruses away from food . Always wash your
hands before touching or eating food, or putting your hands into your
mouth for any reason.
• Cover your hair and clothes while preparing food.
• Never cough or sneeze over the food.
• Keep animals/ pets away from food.
• Cover the food to keep flies and other animals from touching it.
• Avoid keeping food at room temperature for longer periods , as it may
allow the bacteria to reproduce and increase in number.
• Keep raw meat away from other food .
• Use different chopping boards for cutting vegetables and raw meat.
• Wash vegetables, to be eaten raw , before eating.
Personal Hygiene:

• Human skin must be washed regularly to avoid building up of oil,

produced by oil glands and also removal of dirt.
• Sweat glands produce sweat , building up of oil, sweat and dirt
provide breeding grounds for bacteria. Washing regularly with
soap, shampoo would prevent spread of diseases.
• Brush your teeth twice and also using a mouthwash can keep
harmful bacteria in control.
• Wash your hand after using washroom. Regular washing of hands
would prevent entry of bacteria from openings like mouth, nose
etc.
• Wash your hair regularly.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before food.
• Wear clean clothing.
Waste Disposal

• Always dispose waste in closed dustbins.

• Waste collected must be disposed in well managed and designed
landfill sites.
• Land fill sites must be lined with water proof liners to prevent
pollutants from getting in to the ground water.
• The rubbish in land fill sites are added in even layers and compressed
to reduce space it takes.
• Pipes are placed to allow escape of gases (CH4) produced by the
activity of decomposers (bacteria and fungi)
(methane is flammable ,building up can cause explosion)
• When land fill sites are full are covered with soil to allow growth of
grass and trees .
• Incineration kills the harmful bacteria and prevents disease spread.
Sewage treatment

• Raw sewage contains many bacteria and other microorganisms,

Which are pathogens.

• Cholera , polio , typhoid are two of the diseases caused by sewage

, so raw sewage must be treated.

• The raw sewage collected undergoes screening , sedimentation ,

digestion and chlorination to disinfect and recycle the water.

• Leakage in sewage pipes must be checked regularly and mended.

• Drinking water pipe connection and sewage water pipe

connections must be separate.

• Disinfection/ chlorination of water resources must be done

regularly to control pathogens.
Treatment process